Skip to main content

Full text of "Short sketches of the history of the Catholic churches and missions in central Alberta"

See other formats 


=o- 

•LO 

=«c 
"ir 
?D~ 

=  r-^ 

|o 
\i-=i 

--D 


SHORT  SKETCHES  OF  THE 

HISTORY 


OF 


The  Catholic  Churches  and  Missions 

IN 

Central  Alberta. 


Compiled  by 
MOST  REV.  EMILE  J.  LEGAL,  O.M.I. 

Archbishop  of  Edmonton. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Grateful  mention  must  be 
made  here  of  Mr.  W .  H . 
Atherton,  Ph.  }).,  then  pro 
fessor  at  //it-  Little  Seminar]] 
of  St.  Albert,  for  his  valuable 
assistance  in  translating  manii 
parts  of  these  accounts.  He 
also  it  was  who  wrote  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  Introduction 
and  the  Retrospect. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 
OLDEST  MISSIONS. 

II  PAGES: 

I,  The  Parish  of  St.  Anne,  Lake  St.  Anne;  II.  The  Mission  of  St. 
Albert;  III.  Edmonton:  1.  Parish  of  St.  Joachim;  2.  Parish  of  the  Im 
maculate  Conception;  3.  Parish  of  the  Sacred  Heart;  4.  Parish  of  St. 
Anthony  of  Padua;  5.  Parish  of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi ;  6.  Parish  of 
St.  Edmund;  7.  Parish  of  St.  Francis  Xavier;  8.  Holy  Rosary  Church; 
IV.  The  Mission  of  Lake  La  Biche  9—47 

CHAPTER  II. 
INDIAN   MISSIONS. 

1.  Mission  of  N.  D.  du  T.  S.  Rosaire,  Onion  Lake;  2.  Mission  of 
the  Sacred  Heart,  Saddle  Lake;  3.  Mission  of  St.  Raphael,  Cold  Lake; 
with  Station  of  Lac  de  Coeur;  4.  Mission  of  St.  Alexander,  Riviere  qui 
Barre;  5.  Mission  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Seven  Dolors,  Hobbema ;  6.  Mission 
of  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  Stoney  Plain;  7.  Mission  of  St.  Mathias,  Good- 
fish  Lake;  with  Station  of  St.  Nazaire  48 — 68 

CHAPTER  III. 
HALF-BREED   MISSIONS. 

1.  St.  Thomas,   Duhamel ;   2.   St.   Paul,  St.   Paul  des  Metis    69 — 76 

CHAPTER   IV. 
NEW  PARISHES  OR   MISSIONS. 

1.  Parish  of  N.  D.  de  Lourdes,  Lamoureux;  2.  Parish  of  St. 
Emerence,  Riviere  qui  Barre;  3.  Parish  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  Morm- 
ville;  4.  Parish  of  St.  Vital,  Beaumont;  5.  Parish  of  St.  Pierre,  Vil- 
leneuve;  6.  Parish  of  St.  Emile,  Legal;  7.  Parish  of  St.  Aloysius  Gonzaga, 
Edison;  8.  Parish  of  Our  Lady  of  Perpetual  Help,  Pickardville;  with 
(1.)  Mission  of  St.  Joseph,  Spruce  Grove;  (2.)  Mission  of  St.  Charles, 
Egg  Lake;  (3.)  Mission  of  Lady  of  Sion,  Sion  P.O.;  9.  Parish  of  St. 
Lawrence,  Brosseau;  10.  Parish  of  St.  Vincent,  Denisville;  11.  Parish 
of  St.  Louis,  Bonnyville  77 — 91 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


CONTENTS.-Continued 

CHAPTER  V. 

RECENT  PARISHES  AND  MISSIONS  ALONG  C.P.R. 

PAGES: 
I.   Parish  of  St.   Benedict,   Leduc;  2.   Parish  of  St.    Norbert,   Millet; 

3.  Parish  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  Wetaskiwin ;  4.   Mission  of  St.  Augustine, 
Ponoka;  5.  Parish  of  St.  Stephen,  Lacombe ;  6.  Parish  of  Red  Deer    with 
Posts:    (1.)    Innisfail;    (2.)    Olds;    (3.)    Sylvan   Lake;    7.    Parish   of  Our 
Lady    of    Perpetual    Help,    Stettler:    8.    Parish    of    Our    Lady    of    Graces, 
Castor;    with    Posts    of    (I.)    Halkirk,    (St.    Peter);     (2.)    Consort,     (St. 
Andrew);   9.    Parish  of  St.   Anne  of  the   Plains,    Trochu ;    10.    Parish   of 
St.    Francis    Xavier,    Camrose ;     II.    Parish    of    St.    Mark,    Daysland;     12. 
Parish  of  St.    Boniface,  Spring  Lake;    13.   Parish  of  St.    Norbert,   Rosen- 

heim    .  92—103 

CHAPTER   VI. 
RECENT  PARISHES  AND  MISSIONS,  ON  THE  C.N.R. 

I.  Parish  of  Our  Lady  of  Angels,  Fort  Saskatchewan;  2.  Parish  of 
St.  Martin,  Vegreville;  3.  Parish  of  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus,  Vermilion; 

4.  Parish    of    St.    Anthony,    Lloydminster ;    5.    Parish    of    Tawatinaw;    6. 

Parish   of  St.    Gabriel,   Athabaska    |  04 1  I  I 

CHAPTER  VII. 
RECENT  PARISHES  AND  MISSIONS,  ON  THE  G.T.P. 

1.  Parish  of  the  Holy  Name  of  Mary,  Viking;  2.  Parish  of  Wain- 
wrighl;  3.  Parish  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  Chauvin;  4.  Mission  of  Edson .  ...  1  12 1  14 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
POLISH  MISSIONS. 

1.  Mission  of  Krakow,  St.  Casimir ;  2.  Our  Lady  of  Good  Counsel, 
Skaro;  3.  St.  John  of  Kent;  4.  The  Ascension  of  Our  Lord;  5.  Parish 
of  St.  Stanislaus,  Round  Hill;  6.  Rabbit  Hills;  7.  St.  John  Nepomuk .  ...  1  15 I  19 

CHAPTER   IX. 
GREEK  RUTHENIAN  MISSIONS. 

I.  Parish  of  Monaster,  St.  Basil  the  Great;  2.  Parish  of  St.  Josaphat, 
Edmonton;  3.  The  "Star"  Church  Law  Suit 121 129 

CHAPTER  X. 
A  Retrospect  and  Appreciation    131 139 

Sketches  of  some  of  Alberta's  Prominent  Business  Men 1  40 — 153 

Sketches  of  Industrial  Concerns  Identified  with  the  Progress  of  Cen 
tral  Alberta |  54 1  67 

General    Advertising     ...  1  68 End 


HISTORY    OF    THE.    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CF.NTRAL    ALBERTA 


RIGHT  REV.  EMILE  LEGAL,  O.M.I. 

Archbishop  of  Edmonton,  Alta. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


INTRODUCTION 

A  special  interest  ever  attaches  to  the  origin  of  things.  It  is  with  a  tender  emotion 
that  we  bend  over  a  cradle.  It  is  with  watchful  solicitude  that  the  laborer  awaits  the 
germination  of  the  seed  intrusted  to  the  soil.  The  seed  of  Christianity,  which  has  been 
scattered  over  the  world,  and  has  borne  fruit  in  spite  of  tempests  and  onsets  of  every 
kind,  has  especially  attracted  the  attention  and  captivated  the  interest  of  the  learned  and 
the  wise. 

The  growth  of  that  great  tree  with  its  immense  branches,  which  has  developed  with 
so  great  rapidity  on  the  soil  of  Northern  America,  is  assuredly  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
facts  of  modern  times. 

Before  the  sadly  memorable  date  of  1789,  there  Was  as  yet  one  only  bishopric  for 
the  whole  of  North  America,  that  of  Quebec,  whose  foundation  goes  baclf  as  far  as  the 
year  / 674.  The  foundation  of  Baltimore  as  the  first  Episcopal  See  of  the  United  States, 
dates  precisely  from  this  period  of  1789. 

Then  came  the  French  Revolution  which  sowed  broadcast  in  the  world  those  per 
nicious  principles  from  which  it  still  suffers  and  will  continue  to  suffer  until  it  has  repudiated 
them.  It  proclaimed  the  rights  of  man  to  the  contempt  of  the  rights  of  God.  It  exalted 
the  rights  of  man  while  it  passed  over  in  silence  man's  corresponding  duties.  In  a  word, 
it  Would  have  substituted  another  civilization  in  place  of  the  Christian  civilizaton,  a  new 
paganism  in  the  stead  of  the  Christianity  of  all  the  ages;  not  recognizing  that  it  Was 
Christianity  which  had  wrested  the  nations  from  the  yolfe  of  slavery  and  had  proclaimed 
the  true  rights  of  man  while  affirming  his  equality,  but  his  equality  before  the  Justice  of 
Cod. 

Wicked  man  continued,  then,  in  his  taslf;  he  sowed  the  cocffle  in  the  midst  of  the 
good  grain.  But  the  good  seed  in  spite  of  all,  sprouted,  Waxed  strong  and  great,  and  has 
propagated  itself. 

Meanwhile,  at  the  moment  where  our  story  commences,  toward  1808,  there  Were, 
as  yet,  no  more  than  five  bishoprics  for  Canada,  and  the  whole  of  this  immense  North 
west  was  still  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Archbishop  of  Quebec,  with  his  coadjutor, 
Mgr.  Norbert  Provenchcr,  residing  at  Red  River  under  the  title  of  Bishop  of  Juliopolis. 

This  great  bishop  had  only  three  priests  under  him,  but  his  large  heartedness  already 
embraced  the  whole  of  this  immense  region  of  the  Northwest  and  of  British  Columbia, 
which  he  dreamed  of  conquering  for  Christ  and  the  Gospel. 

In  (ruth  is  there  anything  greater  in  the  world  than  these  sublime  ambitions  of  the 
apostolate?  And  these  ambitions  have  been  realized. 

The  following  pages  will  show  the  marvels  accomplished  during  the  short  space  of 
scarcely  a  hundred  years,  not  indeed  in  the  whole  of  the  Northwest  (for  many  large 
volumes  would  be  needed  for  that)  but  only  in  a  very  limited  part  of  it. 

There  are  now  in  these  countries  three  Archiepiscopal  Sees  with  four  Suffragan 
Bishoprics  and  three  Vicar  Apostolics;  namely,  first,  the  Archdiocese  of  St.  Boniface 
and  the  Suffragan  Bishoprics  of  Prince  Albert,  Regina  and  the  Viccriate  Apostolic  of 
Keewatin. 

Second,  in  British  Columbia,  there  is  the  Archdiocese  of  Vancouver,  with  the 
Suffragan  Bishopric  of  Victoria  on  the  Island  of  Vancouver  and  the  Prefecture  Apostolic 
of  the  Yulfon  Territory. 

Third,  the  Archdiocese  of  I^dmonton,  with  the  suffragan  Bishopric  of  Calgary,  and 
the  two  Vicariates  Apostolic  of  Athabasca  and  of  Mackenzie. 

Leaving  aside  the  whole  of  British  Columbia  and  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Province  of 
St.  Boniface,  We  shall  treat  only  of  the  central  part  of  the  Province  of  Alberta,  which 
forms  the  Archdiocese  of  Edmonton.  But  while  limiting  our  view  to  this  restricted  field, 
we  shall  still  have  ample  occasion  to  rejoice  in  the  progress  made  and  to  give  utterance 
to  our  heartfelt  praise  of  "Glory  be  to  God." 


-ilSTORY     OF     THE     CATHOLIC     CHURCH     IN     CENTRAL     ALBERTA 


CENTRAL  ALBERTA 


Y  Central  Alberta,  we  mean  that  part  of  the  Province  of  this  name  which  is 
bounded  on  the  South  by  the  Red  Deer  river  district,  more  precisely  the 
line  of  the  30th  and  31st  Township;  on  the  North  by  the  55  degree  of  Lati 
tude;  on  the  East  by  the  Province  of  Saskatchewan  and  on  the  West  by 
British  Columbia;  this  is  the  territory  of  the  archdiocese  of  Edmonton. 
The  history  of  Catholicity,  in  Central  Alberta,  properly  starts  with  the  year  1842, 
for  in  fixing  this  date  it  must  be  noted  that  up  to  that  period  not  one  missionary  or  priest 
had  as  yet  come  to  plant  his  tent  in  these  vast  regions,  which  up  to  this  time  were  almost 
unexplored  or  unknown,  and  reputed  as  unfit  for  cultivation,  unapproachable  and  cut  off 
from  every  means  of  communication  with  the  civilized  world. 

Nevertheless,  the  time  assigned  by  Divine  Providence  for  the  R.vangelization  and 
Christian  Civilization  of  these  immense  territories  wa ;  fast  approaching. 

Where  hitherto  there  had  been  seen  neither  temple  nor  altar;  neither  church  nor 
modest  chapel,  nor  humble  school;  neither  priest  nor  religious  nor  Sisters  of  Charity;  we 
witness  today  all  the  works  of  Catholic  zeal,  education  and  charity  covering  the  land, 
strengthening  their  hold,  extending  their  influence  and  multiplying  themselves  year  by  year, 
in  a  wonderful  manner. 

The  table  of  contents  will  have  shown  the  Catholic  Missions  existing  today  within 
the  limits  of  Central  Alberta  as  above  defined.  It  remains  for  us  to  point  out  in  detail  the 
origin  of  each  Mission;  when  and  by  whom  is  was  founded;  the  nature  of  the  works  that 
were  undertaken  by  the  clergy  in  charge  of  it  and  the  religious  orders  who  have  there 
dedicated  their  works  and  their  entire  lives,  their  whole-hearted  zeal  and  self-devotion 
to  the  cause  of  God,  in  this  part  of  the  North  West. 

CHAPTER  I. 


OLDEST  MISSIONS 


1st.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  ANNE.— LAKE  ST.  ANNE. 

The  Parish  of  Lake  St.  Anne,  the  first  mission  founded  in  the  North  West,  dates 
from  1842,  when  the  Rev.  Jean  Baptiste  Thibeault,  then  a  missionary  at  Red  River, 
now  St.  Boniface,  made  his  first  journey  to  the  regions  around  the  upper  reaches  of  the 
Saskatchewan  river. 

There  had,  however,  been  an  earlier  journey  which  it  is  interesting  to  record  here, 
made  some  years  previously  by  two  missionaries  who  had  traversed  the  North  West 
on  their  way  to  British  Columbia.  These  were  the  Rev.  Francis  Norbert  Blanchet  and 
the  Rev.  Modeste  Demers.  They  had  left  St.  Boniface  on  the  10th  of  July,  1838,  and 
they  arrived  by  the  vessels  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  on  the  18th  of  August  at  Fort 
Carleton,  where  they  baptized  thirty-six  persons  and  married  seven  couples.  Continuing 
their  route,  thence,  they  passed  on  to  Fort  Pitt  and  to  the  Fort  of  the  Prairie  (Edmonton) 
adding  fifty  more  baptisms.  These  were  the  first  baptisms  to  be  administered  in  these 


10  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


North  Western  wilds,  and  these  two  missionaries  were  the  first  to  celebrate  the  Holy  Sacri 
fice  on  the  solitary  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan.  It  is  recorded  that  as  they  journeyed 
from  place  to  place,  they  erected  crosses  on  their  different  camping  grounds,  taking  possess 
ion,  as  it  were,  of  the  country  in  the  name  of  the  Catholic  religion.  On  the  2nd  of 
October  they  were  at  Fort  Jasper,  at  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where  they  bap 
tized  thirty-five  more,  mostly  half-breed  children. 

To  these  first  two  missionaries  must  also  be  attributed  the  evangelization  of  that  im 
mense  tract  of  country,  situated  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains,  which  was  then  called 
Oregon  and  comprised  the  whole  Pacific  coast  from  Northern  California  almost  up  to 

2nd  degree  of  latitude.  One  of  them,  the  Rev.  F.  N.  Blanchet,  became  in  1843 
the  first  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Oregon  and  early  in  1846  the  first  Bishop  of  Oregon  City 
The  other,  the  Rev.  Modeste  Demers.  became  in  his  turn  the  first  Bishop  of  the  Island  of 
Vancouver. 

The  accounts  which  these  bold  apostles  sent  to  Mgr.  Provencher  to  acquaint  him 
with  the  desire  of  the  numerous  half-breed  population  and  even  of  the  savages  them 
selves,  as  well  as  the  application  of  a  half-breed  named  Piche,  who  went  himself  to  St. 
Boniface  in  search  of  a  missionary,  determined  Mgr.  Provencher  to  delay  no  longer  the 
sending  of  him  who  was  to  be  the  pioneer  of  the  Catholic  religion  in  these  parts  of  the 
North  West. 

It  was  then,  in  1842,  that  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Thibault  was  sent  by  Bishop  Provencher 
to  evangelize  the  wild  Indians  and  half-breeds  scattered  over  the  immense  districts  of 
the  West,  on  the  Eastern  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

On  receiving  the  long  wished  for  commission,  the  missionary  courageously  began  his 

Starting  en  the  20th  of  April,  he  traveled  overland  by  easy  stages,  sometimes 

on   foot  or  on  horseback,   and  someLmes  in  carts  drawn   by  oxen.      These  were   the  old 

time  'Red  River  Carts,"   fashioned  by  the  knife  and  the  axe  of  the  half-breeds.      This 

was  the  first  trip  of  a  missionary  overland.     Until  then  the  boats  had  been  taken  advantage 

f  to  make  this  journey  up  to  the  territory  watered  by  the  Saskatchewan.      He  had    for 

his  guide  a  half-breed  and  it  had  been  arranged  that  the  other  half-breed  who  had  come 

the  year  before  to  St.  Boniface  should  meet  him  at  Fort  Edmonton  and  introduce  him  to 

the   Indian   population. 

Ihus  journeying,  he  would  nearly  every  day  meet  with  water  courses,  some  of 
them  of  considerable  size,  which  could  not  be  crossed  except  by  swimming,  for  as  yet 
bridges  were  unknown  and  often  it  was  even  impossible  to  find  wood  to  construct  a  raff 
Habitations  were  few  and  far  between.  With  the  exception  of  three  or  four 
forts  or  stations  belonging  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  and  these  were  about  200 
miles  apart  from  one  another,  there  was  not  a  single  settlement,  scarcely  a  single  house, 
at  which  he  might  rest. 

After  more  than  two  months  of  this  toil  and  fatigue,  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Thibault  arrived 
at  Lac  La  Grenouille,  "Frog  Lake,"  about  thirty  miles  north  of^Fort  Pitt.  There  he 
erected  a  temporary  "shack,"  entered  into  friendly  relations  with  the  Indians  whom  he 
might  encounter,  and  resolved  to  explore  the  country  before  definitely  founding  the  first 
Catholic  Mission  in  these  distant  parts  of  the  Territories. 

Some  Methodist  ministers  had  previously  visited  the  forts  and  plac.es  through  which 
hather  Thibault  passed,  with  the  consequence  that  most  of  the  people,  half-breeds  and 
Indians,  had  attended  their  meetings,  but  Father  Blanchet  had  written  to  Bishop  Pro 
vencher:  "All  the  people  throughout  this  country,  half-breeds  and  Indians  as  well,  ask 
for  a  priest  to  stay  with  them,"  and  indeed,  as  soon  as  the  priest  appeared  in  the  person 
of  Rev.  Father  Th^bault,  all  left  the  Protestant  minister  and  flocked  to  him.  At  the 
first  service  that  he  held  for  them  at  Fort  Pitt,  he  chose  for  his  subject,  "The  Remission 
of  Sins'  and  the  means  instituted  by  God  for  this  end,  namely,  "Confession."  Father 
Thibault  had  already  a  perfect  command  of  the  Otchipwais  or  Sauteux  language,  which 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  1  1 


is  akin  to  the  Cree,  and  he  could  be  perfectly  understood.  This  sermon  made  a  vivid 
impression  and  all  were  saying,  "Nobody  has  as  yet  spoken  to  us  on  this  subject,  and 
there  was  something  lacking.  Here  we  have  what  was  wanting." 

At  Fort  Edmonton,  Father  Thibault  met  the  halfbreed,  Piche,  as  arranged  before, 
and  he  continued  to  visit  all  the  half-breed  settlements  and  Indian  encampments  during 
all  this  summer.  He  administered  353  baptisms,  performed  20  marriages  and  prepared 
four  people  for  their  first  communion.  Then  he  retraced  his  steps  and  was  back  at  St. 
Boniface  on  the  20th  of  October.  The  journey  had  lasted  exactly  six  months. 

The  following  year,  some  time  in  June,  he  returned,  this  time  to  establish  himself 
permanently.  Half-breeds  and  Indians  had  signed  a  request  to  the  Governor  of  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  to  the  effect  that  the  missionaries  should  be  allowed  to  stay  in 
the  Territories,  as  so  far  the  powerful  company  had  not  been  willing  to  leave  the  country 
freely  open  to  any  comer.  Father  Thibault  re-visited  Fort  Edmonton  and  advanced 
Westward  as  far  as  the  lake  which  the  Indians  and  the  half-breeds  called  "Manito- 
Sakahigan"  and  the  employees  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  "Devil's  Lake."  It 
was  to  this  point,  out  of  reach  of  the  dangerous  encounters  of  Crees  and  Blackfeet  war 
riors,  that  the  missionary  decided  to  establish  the  first  Catholic  Mission  of  the  North 
West. 

But,  as  a  true  son  of  Canada  so  devoted  to  the  great  and  good  saint  whose  cele 
brated  shrine  graces  the  shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence  river,  he  changed  the  name  of  this 
lake  and  called  it  "Lake  St.  Anne."  Soon  he  had  built  himself  there  a  modest  dwelling 
as  well  as  a  not  less  modest  chapel,  which  nevertheless  commanded  the  admiration  of 
the  Indians. 

Then  he  strenuously  continued  the  work  of  the  evangelization  and  of  the  Christian 
instruction  of  all  the  Indians  and  half-breeds  of  those  parts  who  sometimes  would  come 
great  distances  to  visit  him  and  whom,  in  turn,  he  would  seek  out  in  their  distant  en 
campments — at  times  many  hundreds  of  miles  away.  It  was  on  those  occasions  that 
he  went  to  Lake  La  Biche  and  even  to  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

In  the  year  1844,  however,  a  companion  was  granted  him  m  the  person  of  Rev. 
Joseph  Bourassa.  This  new  missionary  left  St.  Boniface  on  the  25th  of  June  in  com 
pany  with  M.  Rowand,  chief  factor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  at  Edmonton, 
heading  for  Lake  St.  Anne.  When  he  reached  there  Father  Thibault  was  away  visit 
ing  distant  parts.  Hearing  of  his  arrival,  the  latter  hurried  back,  passing  through  Jack- 
fish  Lake,  Fort  Pitt,  Cold  Lake,  Lake  La  Biche  and  Edmonton.  They  worked  together 
to  complete  the  building  construction  of  the  Mission  which  then  was  happily  and  solidly 
established.  Since  his  second  departure  from  St.  Boniface,  Father  Thibault  had  ad 
ministered  236  baptisms  and  blessed  26  marriages.  This,  added  to  previous  work, 
brought  the  number  of  Catholics  to  over  two  thousand. 

To  show  how  the  introduction  of  Christianity  in  the  vast  regions  of  the  West  is 
still  of  very  recent  date,  we  may  mention  that  many  of  those  who  were  baptized  when 
adults,  by  Fathers  Thibault  and  Bourassa,  are  still  living.  It  was  on  one  of  these  trips 
that  Father  Thibault  brought  with  him  from  St.  Boniface  a  young  couple,  Michael  Nor- 
mand  and  his  wife,  well  known  under  the  name  of  "La  Rose."  These  proved  to  be 
faithful  and  devoted  servants  of  the  missionaries,  passing  their  whole  lives  in  the  various 
missions  where  they  were  sent.  Michael  Normand  died  a  few  years  ago.  His  relict, 
Rose  Normand,  died  only  a  few  years  after,  the  21st  of  March,  1908,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-seven.  She  breathed  her  last  at  the  Bishop's  house,  at  St.  Albert,  tenderly  at 
tended  to  and  well  esteemed  and  respected  by  all.  With  her  a  land-mark  of  Christian 
ity  in  the  West  has  disappeared. 

In  the  year  1845,  after  passing  the  winter  together,  the  two  missionaries  separated, 
Father  Thibault  going  to  the  Chipweyans  or  Montagnais  of  Cold  Lake  and  Isle  a  la 


12  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Crosse;  Father  Bourassa  to  Lesser  Slave  Lake,  and  the  Grand  Prairie  of  the  Peace 
river.  He  even  wanted  to  go  to  evangelize  the  Sekanais  and  other  Indians  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  thus  the  work  continued  for  seven  years. 

During  the  year  1846  the  Mission  of  Lake  St.  Anne  received  the  visit  of  an  il 
lustrious  Jesuit  missionary,  Father  de  Smet,  who,  coming  along  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
passed  through  Fort  Edmonton  and  Lake  St.  Anne,  and  continuing  his  journey  reached 
Jasper  House,  where  he  administered  eleven  baptisms. 

At  the  sight  of  the  vast  extent  of  the  missionary  field  opening  out  before  them,  and 
recognizing  the  impossibility  of  recruiting  fellow  workers  from  the  secular  clergy  of  the 
Catholic  Province  of  Quebec,  which  itself  had  not  enough  priests  for  its  own  needs,  the 
first  two  apostles  of  the  North  West  urged  the  saintly  Bishop  Provencher  to  the  end 
that  he  should  consider  the  ways  and  means  of  procuring  missionaries  of  a  religious  order 
for  these  countries. 

1  he  Rev.  Father  1  hibault,  already  worn  out  by  work  and  hardships,  returned  to 
St.  Boniface  in  the  year  1852.  Rev.  Father  Bourassa  was  to  follow  next  year.  Fortu 
nately  the  Rev.  Father  Albert  Lacombe,  yet  a  secular  priest  at  the  time,  but  anxious  to 
join  the  order  of  the  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate,  had  just  arrived  in  St.  Boniface, 
when  Father  1  hibault  was  coming  from  the  distant  missions  of  Saskatchewan.  Father 
Lacombe  wanted  to  join  the  order  of  the  Oblates  before  being  sent  to  the  mission  field, 
yet  he  could  not  resist  the  entreaties  of  the  Bishop,  who  prayed  him,  his  eyes  filled 
with  tears,  to  go  at  once  and  take  the  place  of  Father  1  hibault.  Father  Lacombe  con 
sented  on  condition  that  an  Oblate  Father  should  be  sent  as  soon  as  possible  to  enable 
him  to  make  his  novitiate,  to  be  admitted  into  the  order. 

THF  OBLATES  OF   MARY   IMMACULATE. 

In  1815,  a  secular  priest,  the  Rev.  Charles  Joseph  Eugene  de  Mazenod,  afterwards 
Bishop  of  Marseilles,  laid  the  foundation  of  a  new  religious  order,  whose  principal  end 
was  to  be  the  evangelization  of  the  poor  and  the  most  neglected. 

The  25th  of  January,  1816,  saw  the  opening  at  Aix  of  the  first  house  of  the 
Oblates  and  on  the  I  I  th  of  April  of  the  same  year  the  founder  with  his  first  and  only 
companion,  bound  themselves  by  vow  to  labor  all  their  lives  at  the  work  of  missions, 
which  should  be  entrusted  to  their  care  by  the  Bishops  of  France.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  many  devoted  and  zealous  priests  placed  themselves  under  the  direc 
tion  of  the  new  founder.  Several  houses  were  founded  in  the  South  of  France  and  on 
the  17th  of  February,  1826,  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  Leo  XII,  approved  the  rules  and 
constitution  of  the  young  congregation  whose  members,  hitherto  known  only  as  the  "Mis 
sioners  of  Provence,"  he  now  graciously  chose  to  honor  under  the  beautiful  name 
of  the  "Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate." 

I  he  connection  of  the  Oblates  with  Canada  was  brought  about  thuswise:  In 
1841  the  Right  Rev.  Ignace  Bourget,  the  Bishop  of  Montreal,  had  occasion  to  go  to 
Rome  on  an  official  visit  to  His  Holiness  Pius  the  Ninth.  When  passing  through  Mar 
seilles  he  learned  there  that  Mgr.  de  Mazenod  was  the  founder  of  the  Oblate  Fathers. 
Him  he  approached  at  once  with  the  request  that  he  should  be  granted  at  least  four  of 
the  Fathers  for  the  missions  of  his  diocese.  Without  exception  all  offered  themselves 
with  the  greatest  readiness  to  the  service  of  the  Foreign  Missions  which  were  now  opening 
out  to  them,  and  from  that  day  the  Society  of  the  Oblates  ceased  to  be  a  purely  local  or 
exclusively  French  congregation. 

In  a  short  time  it  spread  over  the  four  parts  of  the  world,  and  at  the  present  moment 
the  Oblates  are  piously  engaged  in  the  work  not  only  in  the  different  countries  of  Europe, 
but  also  in  Africa,  Ceylon,  Australia,  and  especially  in  Canada  and  the  United  States. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


The  first  Oblates  who  came  to  Red  River  were  Rev.  Father  P.  Aubert  and  Brother 
A.  Tache.  They  arrived  there  on  the  25th  of  August,  1845.  Five  years  after  this, 
young  Brother  Tache  was  to  be  elected  as  the  Coadjutor  of  Bishop  Provencher,  on  the 
24th  of  June,  1850.  He  was  only  twenty-seven  years  old,  certainly  the  youngest  Cath 
olic  Bishop  at  the  time.  His  consecration  took  place  more  than  a  year  after,  on  the  23rd 
of  November,  1851.  at  Viviers  in  France. 

It  was  when  Bishop  Tache  was  coming  back  from  France,  after  his  consecration, 
that  a  young  assistant  priest  of  the  Parish  of  Berthier  made  up  his  mind  to  come  again  to 
devote  himself  in  the  missions  of  the  North  West.  This  young  priest  was  to  be  also  an 
illustrious  missionary,  none  other  than  the  Very  Rev.  Father  A.  Lacombe.  I  he  year  be 
fore,  he  had  been  assistant  priest  to  Father  Belcourt  at  Pembma,  which  was  then  a 
mission  attached  to  the  missions  of  the  Red  River,  and  then  he  had  realized  that  the 
mission  work  in  these  new  countries  was  better  suited  for  missionaries  belonging  to  some 
religious  order,  and  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  become  himself  a  member  of  such  a 
religious  order  to  fit  himself  for  the  task. 

To   return   now   to   our   story   of   the    Mission   of    Lake   St.    Anne.      The    Rev^   Fr. 
Lacombe  started  his  journey  on  July  8th,    1852,  and  made  his  way  to  Lake  St.  Anne. 
The  Rev.   Joseph  Bourassa  then  departed  in  his  turn  in  the  following  year  and  the 
Father  Lacombe  remained  alone  in  charge  of  all  the  missions  formerly  visited  by  the  1 
J.    B.    Thibault   and   the   Rev.    Joseph    Bourassa.      It   was   not   until 
month  of  September,   that  he  was  able  to  commence  his  noviceship. 

The  Rev.  Father  Remas,  who  had  arrived  at  the  mission  of  Lake  La  Biche  since 
the  month  of  October  of  the  year  1853,  now  came  to  be  his  novice  master  and  the  Rev. 
Fr.  Lacombe  made  his  religious  profession  on  the  23d  of  September,  1856. 

The  Rev.  Fathers  Remas  and  Lacombe  passed  four  years  together  at  Lake  St. 
Anne.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Frain  was  sent  some  time  after  but  his  feeble  health  would  only 
allow  him  to  remain  a  few  years. 

The  two  missionaries  of  Lake  St.  Anne  were,  besides,   often  obliged  to  make  long 
apostolic  excursions,  each  in  his  own  direction.     They  had  to  attend  to  the  needs  or  Less 
er  Slave  Lake,  the  Lake  La  Biche  Mission,   and  Fort  Jasper  at  the  Rocky   Mountains. 
Then     too,    they    had    often    to    accompany    the    parties    of    half-breeds    and    Indians    on 
their  hunting  expeditions.      However,   it  was  the  half-breeds  of   Lake  St.    Anne   and   ol 
Edmonton,  as  well  as  the  Cree  and  Assiniboine  Indians  frequenting  this  part  of  the  coun 
try,   who   most  profited  by   the   presence   of   the   priest   and   who    generally    became    go< 
Christians. 

Although  the  foundation  of  the  Mission  of  Lake  St.  Anne  was  but  of  recent  date, 
the  missionaries   already   were   desirous  of  making   it   an   important   centre,    and    they   ob- 
tamed    the    co-operation    of    the    Grey    Nuns    of    Montreal    to    labor    at    the 
instruction  of  the  Indian  childhood,  and  especially  of  persons  of  their  own  sex.      It  was 
Father    Remas   who    went    to   St.    Boniface    to   bring   back    the    first    contingent    of    these 
good   nuns.      On   the   24th   of   September,    1859   he  was   again   at    Lake   St.    Anne,    ac 
companied  by  the  first  three  sisters  to  come  to  the  North  West,  Sister  Emery,  Superioress, 
Sister  Lamy'and  Sister  Alphonse,  three  holy  women  who  have  left  behind  them 
nown  of  goodness  and  devotedness. 

Nevertheless,  this  foundation  begun  at  Lake  St.  Anne  had  to  be  consolidated  more 
definitely  elsewhere,    for  a   little  while   after,   these   same  nuns  passed  on   to   St.   Alto 
in    1863. 

After  a  period  of  five  years,  during  which  the  Rev.  Fathers  Remas  and  Lacombe 
had  been  conjointly  or  separately  engaged  in  providing  for  this  mission,  we  find  suc 
cessively  a  number  of  other  missionaries  who  spent  a  more  or  less  considerable  time  here 
and  devoted  themselves  to  the  works  of  the  ministry,  such  as  the  Rev  Father  Leduc  in 
1867  and  1868.  Then  the  Rev.  Fathers  Andre  and  Bourgme  in  1870  and  I  8/1  ;  the 


14  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Rev.  Fathers  Blanchet  and  Dupin  from  1871  to  1874;  the  Rev.  Fathers  Scollen  and 
Grandin  in  1883-1884  and  finally  on  the  12th  of  November,  1886,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lizee 
was  placed  at  Lake  St.  Anne  where  he  remained  for  ten  years — but  it  would  be  too 
wearisome  to  notice  in  detail  the  different  incidents  which  occurred  during  this  long  suc 
cession  of  years. 

It  will  be  sufficient  to  note  that  in  1 888  the  new  church  was  built.  In  the  fol 
lowing  year,  1889,  when  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lestanc  was  Superior  of  St.  Albert,  it  came  to 
the  mind  of  this  pious  missionary,  who  was  a  native  of  Brittany,  that  the  good  St. 
Anne,  who  scatters  her  favors  from  her  Breton  Sanctuary  of  St.  Anne  D'Auray  and 
her  Canadian  shrine  of  St.  Anne  de  Beaupre,  could  also  well  grant  similar  favors  in  a 
sanctuary  of  the  North  West  if  only  she  was  solicited  for  them.  Accordingly  he  an 
nounced  from  the  pulpit  that  he  would  depart  on  such  a  day  of  the  week  on  a  pilgrimage 
to  Lake  St.  Anne  and  that  all  were  cordially  invited  to  accompany  him.  Indeed,  a 
good  number  of  pilgrims  responded  to  the  appeal.  They  made  the  pilgrimage,  prayed, 
asked  and  received  graces  and  they  felt  consolation  and  happiness  at  having  accomplished 
this  act  of  faith.  The  pilgrimage  was  talked  about,  and  the  following  year  it  was  more 
numerous  and  it  has  since  become  a  custom.  People  come  even  from  Duhamel,  Ath 
abasca  Landing  and  other  places  seven  or  eight  days'  journey.  Numbers  already  ex 
perience  the  graces  obtained  from  the  good  St.  Anne,  graces  which  those  privileged  to 
receive  them  do  not  hesitate  to  call  miraculous.  This  pilgrimage  has  been  fixed  for  some 
years  for  a  determined  date,  not  exactly  on  the  feast-day  of  St.  Anne,  the  26th  of  July, 
but  always  on  the  Wednesday  nearest  this  feast. 

In  1897  the  Rev.  Fr.  Vegreville  was  at  the  head  of  the  Mission  of  Lake  St.  Anne. 
A  little  later  we  find  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lizee,  who  after  some  years'  departure  had  returned 
to  take  charge  of  the  mission  which  he  had  always  regretted  leaving. 

Fr.  Lizee  soon  undertook  the  publication  of  a  little  newspaper  edited  in  Cree  and 
lithographed  in  syllabic  characters.  The  title  was  "The  St.  Anne's  Cross."  Since  1906 
the  publication  of  this  little  journal  has  passed  into  the  hands  of  Father  Baiter,  who  re 
sides  at  the  Mission  of  the  Sacred  Heart  at  Saddle  Lake,  and  it  now  bears  the  name  of 
"The  Sacred  Heart." 

In  the  year  1908,  we  find  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lizee  still  at  Lake  St.  Anne,  but  for  some 
time  he  has  been  assisted  by  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin.  The  work,  in  fact,  has  been  increased. 
In  addition  to  the  service  of  the  very  considerable  parish  composed  for  the  most  part  of 
French  speaking  half-breeds,  there  are  also  new  comers  of  various  nationalities. 

Then,  too,  it  became  necessary  to  visit  the  Indians  of  the  Alexis  Reserve,  the  In 
dians  of  White  Whale  Lake  (Wabamun)  and  finally  the  different  groups  of  new  col 
onists  who  are  beginning  to  make  settlements  towards  the  West  along  the  roads  tra 
versed  by  the  Canadian  Northern  and  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific  Railway.  Visits  are 
also  paid  to  Lobstick  Lake  on  the  Pembina  river,  to  Paddle  river  and  even  beyond. 
This  is  assuredly  a  great  work  for  the  years  to  come  that  is  now  being  announced. 

The  Mission  of  Lake  St.  Anne,  now  located  on  the  line  of  the  Canadian  Northern 
Railway,  with  the  fine  lake  abounding  in  fish,  can  not  fail  to  assume  a  growing  importance 
with  the  development  of  the  country.  Rev.  Father  J.  Portier,  O.M.I.,  has  been  in  charge 
of  the  Mission  for  the  past  few  years. 

II._ THE  MISSION  OF  ST.  ALBERT. 

St.  Albert,  in  the  beginning,  was  part  of  the  immense  diocese  of  St.  Boniface,  whose 
Bishop  was  the  Rt.  Rev.  A.  Tache.  "On  the  first  day  of  January,  1861,"  writes 
Bishop  Tache,  in  his  "20  Annees  de  Mission,'  "we  were  spending  the  New  Year  at 
Lake  St.  Anne,  in  company  with  the  Rev.  Fathers  Lacombe  and  Remas.  On  this  oc- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


15 


< 
£-, 

_ 

< 


UJ 
CQ 
_ 


H 


u 
u 


O, 


0 
~ 
/, 

22 

UJ 

X 
— 


HISTORY    OF    THK    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


casion  it  was  decided  with  these  zealous  missionaries  that  they  should  found  a  new  sta 
tion  not  so  far  away,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  maintenance  of  St.  Joachim  Mission,  at  Ed 
monton." 

On  the  14th  of  January,  Bishop  Tache  left  Lake  St.  Anne  to  return  to  St.  Boni 
face.  He  was  accompanied  by  Rev.  Father  Lacombe.  About  nine  miles  from  Ed 
monton  they  stopped  on  a  hill,  at  the  foot  of  which  flows  the  Sturgeon  River.  They 
cleared  away  the  snow,  lighted  a  fire  and  rested  a  while.  It  was  there  and  then  that 
Bishop  I  ache,  after  cutting  down  a  young  sapling,  made  a  staff,  and  planting  it  firmly 
into  the  snow  addressed  his  companion,  thus:  "Father  Lacombe,  here  is  the  site  of  the 
new  mission!  It  shall  be  called  by  the  name  of  your  Holy  Patron,  St.  Albert!  You 
will  undertake  the  work  as  soon  as  possible,  and  you  will  found  this  new  mission!" 

Father  Lacombe  soon  started  the  work  and  in  ]  862  he  had  already  built  a  wooden 
house,  30  feet  by  24,  which  served  as  his  residence,  and  another  building  40  by  20  feet, 
as  yet  not  completed,  it  is  true,  with  its  unjointed  boards,  and  its  lack  of  ceiling,  but 
which  served  its  purpose  as  the  church.  Another  construction  of  two  floors  was  erected 
there,  50  by  40  feet,  which  Father  Lacombe  intended  to  be  soon  transformed  into  an 
Orphanage  under  the  direction  of  the  good  Sisters  of  Charity,  called  the  "Gray  Nuns  of 
Montreal." 

Of  all  the  religious  communities  of  women,  devoting  themselves  in  the  West  of 
Canada  to  the  works  of  Charity  and  Education,  the  Gray  Nuns  of  Montreal  were  the 
first  to  consecrate  themselves  with  absolute  devotedness  to  the  good  of  the  missions;  the 
first  to  penetrate  even  into  the  heart  of  the  Mackenzie  district,  not  far  from  the  Polar 
Circle,  and  we  find  them  today,  at  the  head  of  important  institutions,  schools,  asylums, 
orphanages  and  hospitals,  in  the  various  missions  whose  origin  and  development  we  are 
now  briefly  outlining. 

In  1863  these  excellent  Sisters  came  from  Lake  St.  Anne,  where  they  had  been 
established  for  about  four  years,  to  found  the  first  school  and  orphanage  at  St.  Albert. 

The  half-breeds  now  commenced,  little  by  little,   to  come  and  settle  around  the  mission. 

They  occupied  the  land  which  they  began  to  cultivate,  while  they  built  themselves  simple 
houses,  where  they  could  rest  after  their  return  from  the  prairies  on  their  buffalo  hunting 
expeditions.  I  hey  could  also  now  place  their  children  under  the  care  of  the  Sisters, 
where  they  would  receive,  at  the  school,  an  education  as  complete  as  was  possible  under 
the  circumstances.  I  he  orphanage  would  also  receive  the  children  abandoned  by  their 
parents,  and  thus  in  time  it  might,  little  by  little,  be  converted  into  an  Indian  Industrial 
School,  properly  so-called. 

On  the  3rd  of  December,  1864,  Bishop  I  ache  returned  to  visit  this  Mission  where 
he  arrived  at  night  fall.  "Sunrise,"  he  wrote,  "permitted  us  to  contemplate  with  par 
donable  pride  and  complacency  the  beautiful  mission  of  St.  Albert,  so  advanced  and  yet 
so  new.  Fhe  beauty  of  the  site,  enhanced  by  art,  amazed  us,  although  we  had  chosen 
the  spot  ourselves  only  four  years  ago.  And  yet,  what  a  great  work  had  already  been 
done!  Handsome  and  vast  constructions  had  been  erected  as  if  by  enchantment;  broad 
meadows  had  been  cleared,  well  fenced  around  and  put  under  cultivation,  and  were 
already  yielding  abundant  harvests. 

"The  whole  scene  enraptured  our  gaze.  1  he  houses  built  all  around  this  pretty 
mount;  that  of  the  Lord  and  those  of  His  devoted  ministers  and  His  most  devoted  hand 
maids  forming  a  group,  dominating  the  whole  country  side.  The  little  river  winding 
around  the  base  of  the  hills  and  crossed  by  a  fine  bridge;  then,  at  a  little  distance  the 
lake,  whose  waters  lave  the  hill-sides  which  furnished  the  timber  for  the  buildings!  All 
this  we  could  not  leave  without  admiration. 

"Yet  for  all  that,"  said  he,  "the  dreamers  of  absurd  systems  other  than  Christian 
would  have  it  that  priests  are  not  men  of  the  time — not  up-to-date.  Let  then  these 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  1 7 


enemies  of  revelation  come  themselves.  I  here  is  still  enough  savagery  about  for  each  to 
try  his  experience.  There  is  still  darkness  in  abundance  for  each  one  to  make  trial  of  his 
own  light-shedding  system. 

"Yes,  let  them  come.  Let  them  render  to  the  ignorant  Indians  more  services  than 
the  poor  priest  has  done.  Let  them  civilize  more  fully  and  more  quickly.  Let  them 
more  easily  soften  and  smooth  down  the  barbarous  manners  of  the  savage.  Let  them 
come  and  work  in  our  wild  wastes  the  wonders  that  the  priest  does.  Let  them  give  the 
world  the  spectacle  of  a  like  devotion,  a  like  entire  self  denial,  then  we  will  believe  in 
their  mission  as  reformers,  but  in  the  mean  time,  while  they  enjoy  all  of  the  blessings 
which  the  civilizing  hands  of  Christ's  missionaries  have  sown  with  such  great  profusion  in 
the  world,  let  them  not  blaspheme  against  God;  against  His  Holy  Law  or  His  con 
secrated  ministers." 

From  1 865  to  1 867,  Fathers  Tissot  and  Andre  continued  the  work  so  liberally 
begun,  and  meanwhile  Father  Lacombe  founded  the  mission  of  St.  Paul  des  Cris,  a 
settlement  for  the  Indian  aborigines,  on  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan  river  where,  to 
day,  there  has  sprung  up  the  pretty  and  thriving  town  of  Brosseau. 

In  1867  Father  Andre  was  replaced,  at  St.  Albert,  by  the  Rev.  Father  H.  Leduc, 
who  also  took  sole  charge  of  the  mission  in  the  spring  of  1868.  Though  left  alone  by 
the  departure  of  Father  Tissot  for  St.  Boniface,  Father  Leduc  soon  had  the  happiness 
of  receiving  the  announcement  of  an  event  of  great  importance  which  was  to  give  a  new 
spirit  to  the  material  and  spiritual  progress  of  the  mission. 

"This  autumn,"  wrote  Bishop  Grandin  from  France  to  him,  "I  shall  fix  my  per 
manent  residence  at  St.  Albert.  I  shall  come  to  you  with  a  regular  caravan  of  mission 
aries,  priests,  ecclesiastical  students  and  some  pious  young  men  who  wish  to  devote  them 
selves  to  the  missions.  Get  to  work,  then!  Use  every  effort  to  procure  us  the  provisions 
and  lodging  arrangements  that  are  absolutely  necessary." 

At  this  time  Bishop  Grandin  was  Bishop  Tache's  devoted  coadjutor  and  to  him 
had  been  entrusted  the  care  of  these  northern  parts  of  the  vast  original  diocese  of  St. 
Boniface. 

These  orders  were  faithfully  carried  out.  Bishop  Grandin  and  his  companions  would 
find  on  their  arrival  an  abundant  supply  of  "pemmican"  for  the  winter  and  tea  in  moder 
ation,  but  no  bread.  As  for  other  delicacies  they  would  have  to  do  without  them.  An 
addition  of  twenty  feet  square  was  in  all  haste  fixed  to  the  mission  dwelling-house,  while 
the  loft  had  been  converted  into  a  dormitory. 

Very  soon  the  caravan  arrived,  followed  a  little  later  by  Bishop  Grandin,  who  had 
wished  to  re-visit  He  a  la  Crosse  before  settling  down  at  St.  Albert.  His  Lordship 
took  possession  of  the  only  room  of  the  house,  which  had  been  reserved  for  him,  while 
the  others  were  installed  together  as  comfortably  as  was  possible  under  the  circumstances. 

Among  the  new  comers  there  were  found  some  young  men  who  had  learned  dif 
ferent  trades.  Their  aim  was  to  be  admitted  into  the  Congregation  of  the  Oblates  of 
Mary,  as  lay  Brothers,  and  to  give  their  services  for  the  good  of  the  Church  and  Chris 
tian  civilization,  without  any  other  recompense  than  that  of  their  bread,  lodging  and 
clothing. 

One  of  these  was  a  blacksmith  and  very  soon  a  shop  was  provided  for  him  where 
he  fixed  up  his  bellows  and  an  anvil.  For  many  a  long  year  Brother  Leriche  rendered 
signal  service  to  the  mission. 

Another  was  a  shoemaker;  he  changed  his  little  cell  into  a  cobbler's  shop,  and 
moccasins  now  gave  place  to  shoes  of  a  more  civilized  style.  Another  made  wooden 
sabots  of  a  kind  unknown  here,  but  none  the  less  of  great  usefulness. 


18  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


A  carpenter  and  joiner's  shop  was  also  opened  under  the  judicious  supervision 
of  Brother  P.  Bowes,  who  for  forty  years  was  the  master  builder  and  architect  of  all 
the  chapels,  residences,  houses  and  schools  built  by  the  Oblates  in  the  North  West. 

The  Oblates,   whether  priests  or  simple  brothers,    have   not   only    for   their  end    the 

preaching  of  the  Gospel  and  the  teaching  of  the  truths  of  Faith,   but  they  are  also  the 

children  of  that  great  Catholic  Church  which  has  conquered   the  old  paganism  and  has 
carried   the  light   and  benefits  of  civilization   among  all    races   and   peoples. 

The  Oblates  therefore  who  have  come  to  this  country,  ought  doubtless  to  be,  above 
all,  its  Apostles,  but  none  the  less  they  came  also  as  pioneers  of  civilization.  This  they 
had  shown  at  St.  Albert,  and,  from  the  earliest  days  of  the  foundation  of  the  mission, 
they  set  to  work  at  once  to  clear  the  land  and  cultivate  the  soil. 

In  I  868  the  time  had  come  to  give,  by  their  example,  a  new  impetus  to  colonization 
work.  It  became  necessary  to  prevail  upon  the  Indians  no  longer  to  count  solely  up 
on  the  results  of  their  hunting  and  fishing  expeditions  for  their  subsistence,  but  to  learn 
how  to  extract  from  the  soil  its  precious  resources  which  would  banish  the  necessity  of 
those  long,  forced  fasts  which  they  had  often  to  undergo.  The  work,  therefore,  of  till 
ing  and  clearing  the  ground  continued  every  year  at  the  mission,  and  very  soon  some 
hundreds  of  acres  were  put  under  cultivation. 

At  first  the  crops  were  not  very  abundant,  but  they  increased  year  by  year.  And 
now  it  became  necessary  to  find  a  means  of  making  use  of  their  grain  and  of  turning  it 
into  bread,  of  which  the  missionaries  had  been  so  long  deprived.  There  was  an  old 
flour  mill  worked  by  horsepower,  but  it  no  longer  gave  any  satisfaction,  so  it  was  decided 
to  build  one  to  be  driven  by  water.  Accordingly  a  suitable  place  was  chosen.  The 
Brother  carpenters  and  others  of  the  Oblate  fathers  themselves  lent  a  hand  to  rhe  work 
and,  a  few  months  later,  the  mill  was  in  running  order  and  working  famously.  The 
power  was  not  extraordinary,  but  it  could  grind  a  decade  of  sacks  of  wheat  in  twenty- 
four  hours.  That  was  wonderful  at  this  time  for  the  country  side! 

For  some  months  all  went  well  till  there  came  a  heavy  storm,  which  was  followed 
by  a  second  and  a  third.  The  river  rose  ever  higher  and  higher  till  the  mill  dam  yielded 
to  the  force  of  the  flood — and  all  the  labor  had  to  be  begun  over  again.  Afterwards, 
new  trials  and  tribulations  were  encountered,  but  never  daunted,  the  missionaries  worked 
on,  for  were  they  not  there  to  give  the  natives  practical  examples  of  energy  and  persever 
ance?  Later  on,  however,  other  attempts  were  made  with  better  success,  as  we  shall 
hear  in  due  time. 

In  the  meantime  Bishop  Grandm  had  taken  up  the  government  of  the  mission  and, 
at  all  times  and  places,  he  gave  his  missionaries  a  perfect  example  of  zeal  and  devoted- 
ness.  St.  Albert  was  fast  approaching  the  time  when  it  should  became  the  centre  of  a 
great  and  important  Catholic  diocese. 

At  this  time  the  poor,  temporary  chapel  was  threatened  with  ruin,  for  under  the 
action  of  a  strong  north  wind  it  had  lost  its  balance  and  was  only  maintained  in  position, 
thanks  to  an  unsightly  buttress  of  four  or  five  solid  spruce  trunks  placed  to  support  it. 
It  was  now  high  time  to  think  of  building  a  Cathedral  for  him  who  was  soon  about  to 
become  the  first  Titular  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  and  in  which  he  could  at  least  officiate  in 
his  mitre  without  catching  it  in  the  joists,  as  was  often  the  case  in  the  first  church.  All 
this  was  in  1  869,  and  it  must  be  remembered  that,  at  this  time,  such  a  thing  as  a  circular 
saw  or  machinery  of  any  sort  for  planing  and  polishing  wood  was  quite  unknown  in  this 
part  of  the  country.  The  mason's  art,  too,  was  also  unpracticable  and  consequently  the 
new  building  must  necessarily  be  of  wood,  for  which  a  whole  spruce  grove  had  to  be 
felled  and  the  trunks  squared  and  transformed  into  planks  by  means  of  the  hand,  or  at 
least  with  the  aid  of  the  pit-saw.  The  lay  brothers  undertook  the  task  and  during  the 
whole  winter  the  work  of  felling,  sawing  and  hauling  the  timber  went  merrily  on. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  19 


In  the  following  year  the  mission  possessed  a  church  measuring  84  feet  in  length, 
with  transepts  72  feet  wide,  and  in  addition,  galleries  for  the  harmonium,  the  choir  and 
the  children.  In  a  word  it  was  the  wonder  of  the  country,  standing  far  above  all  the 
other  ecclesiastical  monuments  of  this  period.  But  it  has  since  been  eclipsed  and  for 
some  years  it  has  been  converted  into  Assembly  Rooms  for  the  Catholics  and  a  concert 
hall  for  the  young  students  of  the  Seminary  of  St.  Albert. 

At  the  commencement  of  1870  a  goodly  number  of  houses  grouped  themselves 
along  the  banks  of  the  Sturgeon  River,  on  the  rising  ground  and  around  the  water's  edge. 
The  population  began  soon  to  settle  down  more  definitely  and  the  mission  was  making 
more  and  more  progress  when  the  small-pox  made  its  appearance  in  the  month  of  July 
of  the  same  year.  In  a  few  weeks  every  family  was  attacked  by  the  scourge  and  for 
some  months,  i.e.  from  July  to  the  end  of  December,  the  Oblates  of  St.  A'bert  had  need 
to  multiply  their  services  and  to  hurry  day  and  night  to  the  relief  of  the  dying.  Father 
Leduc  and  Father  Bourgine  administered  the  sacraments  to  the  sick  and  dying,  and  the 
Scholastic  Brothers,  Doucet  and  Blanchet  enshrouded  the  dead.  The  entire  population 
had  been,  until  then,  about  seven  hundred.  Nearly  half  of  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Albert 
were  carried  off  by  the  plague,  not  counting  three  hundred  half-breed  hunters  who  died 
on  the  piairie,  whither  Bishop  Grandin  had  gone  himself  to  visit  them,  to  console,  en 
courage  and  assist  them  in  their  dying  moments,  and  where  he  remained  to  the  end,  to 
give  his  services,  and  even  sometimes  nursing  the  sick  along  with  Father  Fourmont. 

On  September  22nd,  1870,  Pope  Pius  IX.  raised  this  young  mission  to  the 
dignity  of  an  Episcopal  See,  with  Bishop  Grandin  as  its  first  Titular  Bishop. 

His  wise  and  paternal  government  naturally  communicated  new  vigor,  not  only  to 
St.  Albert  but  to  all  the  missions  of  the  diocese  which  were  soon  to  increase  and  multiply. 

Rev.  Father  Lestanc,  a  veteran  missionary  from  Manitoba,  came  in  October,  1874, 
to  take  charge  of  the  mission.  For  three  years  he  devoted  himself  with  unsparing  self- 
sacrifice  to  the  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  the  work  entrusted  to  him,  after  which 
he  went  to  found  new  stations  in  the  Eastern  part  of  the  diocese.  The  Rev.  Father  H. 
Leduc  came  in  1877  to  fill  the  place  left  vacant  by  the  departure  of  Rev.  Father  Lestanc, 
and  the  progress  went  on. 

Until  1878  the  main  body  of  the  population  had  been  made  up  almost  exclusively 
of  French  half-breeds.  But  at  that  time  a  new  influx  of  settlers  came  from  various 
quarters  and  gave  a  fresh  impetus  to  the  material  progress  of  the  district.  These  were 
Messrs.  Will  Cust,  Hermenagilde  Majeau,  George  Gagnon,  Lecn  Harnois,  Edmond 
and  Frank  Juneau,  Edmord  Brosseau,  Edmond  Couture,  Louis  Beaupre,  and  others. 

The  new  settlers  devoted  their  energy  mostly  to  farming,  and  from  that  epoch  we 
may  date  the  fame  of  St.  Albert  as  an  agricultural  district.  The  various  crops  suc 
ceeded  beyond  expectation,  and  there  came  plentiful  harvests.  Then  the  want  of  a 
good  grist  mill  was  felt  even  more  keenly  than  at  any  other  time  before. 

At  this  time,  1878,  Bishop  Grandin  and  Father  Leduc,  coming  back  from  a  trip  to 
Lake  La  Biche,  received  a  deputation  of  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Albert,  who  urgently 
petitioned  for  the  reconstruction  of  the  grist  mill.  After  numerous  difficulties  experienced 
in  former  years  the  prospect  of  a  new  venture  was  not  very  attractive,  but  the  consider 
ation  of  the  encouragement  likely  to  be  given  to  the  population  of  the  whole  district, 
finally  prevailed.  A  company  of  six  share-holders  was  formed,  of  which  the  mission 
took  a  good  part  of  the  shares  and  eventually  the  whole  of  them.  The  mill  was  rebuilt 
on  the  Sturgeon  river,  eighteen  miles  below  the  mission,  and  supplied  with  proper  machin 
ery  and  a  circular  saw,  to  which  soon  a  planer  and  a  shingle  machine  were  added. 
All  this  was  a  real  boom  for  the  colony.  Ten  years  later,  on  the  19th  of  March,  1890, 
everything  was  destroyed  by  a  forest  and  prairie  fire,  driven  in  the  direction  of  the  mill 
by  a  violent  wind.  The  buildings,  the  machinery  and  400,000  feet  of  lumber — every 
thing became  a  prey  to  the  consuming  flames!  The  loss  was  estimated  at  $25,000 


20  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


at  the  very  least,  hence  it  was  impossible  for  the  mission  to  ever  think  of  undertaking  a 
fresh  enterprise  of  this  nature.  It  had  done  its  share  in  the  past  abundantly.  Besides, 
times  had  changed,  and  these  undertakings  were  to  be  left  to  those  who  had  not  given 
their  lives  to  the  service  of  God,  but  who  mainly  sought  to  realize  good  and  substantial 
profits. 

The  new  settlers  of  1878  had  come  from  British  Columbia  or  some  other  parts  of 
the  American  western  states.  In  I  880  and  1  88  1  others  came  from  the  eastern  provinces. 
Let  us  mention  Messrs.  David  and  Louis  Chevigny,  A.  Arcand,  Dan  Maloney  and 
others.  David  Chevigny,  with  his  family,  left  his  eastern  home  in  the  Province  of 
Quebec,  St.  Stanislaus,  Champlain  County,  to  come  and  settle  down  in  these  remote 
parts  of  the  North  West.  He  had  his  wife  and  nine  children,  the  youngest  a  mere  baby, 
and  it  was  not  a  mean  undertaking  to  come  across  this  immense  stretch  of  wilderness, 
extending  from  Winnipeg  to  the  distant  shores  of  the  Saskatchewan,  with  the  meagre 
comfort  of  the  Red  River  Cart.  Those  who  come  now  over  the  C.P.R.,  C.N.R.,  or 
G.T.P.  lines,  in  a  well  upholstered  Pullman  car,  can  scarcely  form  to  themselves  any 
adequate  idea  of  the  case. 

A  joyful  event  took  place  in  St.  Albert  in  1884.  It  was  the  Silver  Jubilee,  or 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  Episcopal  consecration  of  the  Titulary  Bishop  of  St. 
Albert.  Nearly  all  the  clergy  of  his  diocese  was  gathered  around  him  to  commemorate 
the  joyful  event  and  show  their  affection  and  devotion  to  their  first  pastor  and  fatherly 
Bishop. 

Before  going  further,  mention  must  be  made  of  the  troubled  epoch  of  1885,  when, 
under  the  leadership  of  Louis  Riel  and  the  command  of  Gabriel  Dumont,  the  half- 
breeds  decided  to  claim  by  the  strength  of  armed  bands  the  rights  they  were  entitled  to. 
Unfortunately,  Indian  tribes  had  been  enlisted  and  there  was  great  uneasiness  and  ill 
forebodings  all  over  the  land.  However,  the  great  influence  of  the  Saintly  Bishop 
Grandin  was  equal  to  the  task  and  the  half-breed  population  at  St.  Albert  and  the 
surrounding  district  were  prevailed  upon  to  remain  quiet  and  not  to  join  in  the  uprising. 

Numerous  families,  not  only  of  Catholics  but  also  of  Protestants,  flocked  for 
protection  from  Edmonton  and  Fort  Saskatchewan  to  the  Mission  of  St.  Albert.  The 
Bishop  turned  over  to  them  the  spacious  school  house  and  other  buildings  and  he  went 
every  day  himself  to  encourage  and  comfort  them.  These  days  of  anxiety  passed  away 
at  last,  all  danger  was  over,  and  calm  was  restored.  Every  one  then  returned  to  his 
home,  but  those  who  have  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  the  kindly  Bishop  are  not  likely 
to  forget  it. 

The  time  had  come,  however,  when  the  new  comers  to  the  North  West  would 
have  the  comfort  and  facilities  of  railway  transportation.  The  Rev.  J.  B.  Morin  had 
now  begun  his  campaign  of  colonization  for  the  Diocese  of  St.  Albert.  Up  to  1891 
the  new  colonists  had  to  make  the  drive  from  Calgary  to  reach  their  further  destinations, 
but  in  the  following  year,  1 892,  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  brought  its  line  right 
into  South  Edmonton,  formerly  known  as  Strathcona.  Henceforth  St.  Albert  is  no 
more  a  distant  and  unknown  land;  it  is  linked  to  the  civilized  world. 

From  that  moment,  indeed,  numerous  and  distinguished  visitors  came,  no  doubt 
drawn  by  the  fame  of  the  country,  but  attracted  still  more  by  the  fame  and  renown 
of  Sanctity  of  the  good  Bishop  of  St.  Albert.  Among  these  distinguished  visitors  it  is 
worthy  of  particular  mention  that  three  Governors-General  of  Canada  with  their  vice 
regal  parties  repaired  to  St.  Albert — Lord  Lansdowne,  the  Earl,  and  Countess  of 
Aberdeen  and  Earl  and  Countess  of  Minto. 

In  1902,  through  the  exertion  of  Rev.  Father  A.  Lacombe,  who  is  such  a  favor 
ite  with  all  the  C.  P.  R.  officials  up  to  the  President  of  the  line,  a  large  party  of  Arch 
bishops  and  Bishops  with  their  Vicars-General  and  other  friends,  were  provided  with 
a  special  car  to  come  all  the  way  from  the  Provinces  of  Quebec  and  Ontario.  They 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  21 


came  to  get  acquainted  with  the  conditions  in  the  West,  and  to  pay  their  homage  of  ven 
eration  to  good  Bishop  Grandin.  The  party  included  Archbishop  Tache,  of  St.  Boni 
face;  Bishop  Lafleche,  of  Three  Rivers,  himself  a  veteran  missionary  of  Red  River  and 
He  a  la  Crosse;  Bishop  McDonnell,  of  Alexandria;  Bishop  Brondel  of  Helena,  Mon 
tana,  came  also  for  the  occasion,  and  it  was  certainly  a  great  joy  and  consolation  for 
Bishop  Grandin  to  entertain  his  distinguished  visitors. 

In  1896,  Rev.  Father  M.  Merer,  O.M.I.,  took  charge  of  the  parish  which  he 
was  to  continue  to  direct  for  many  years  with  the  greatest  zeal  and  devotedness.  He 
is  still  at  the  present  time  (1914)  the  parish  priest  of  St.  Albert. 

Bishop  Grandin,  advanced  in  years  and  broken  down  by  continuous  illness,  fearful 
moreover  that  he  could  not  fulfill  alone  the  duties  of  his  high  calling,  had  petitioned 
several  times  to  be  granted  a  coadjutor.  His  petition  was  heard  at  last,  and  the  Rev. 
Father  F,.  Legal,  O.M.I.,  who  had  been  for  sixteen  years  a  missionary  of  the  Blackfeet 
tribes,  was  nominated  the  29th  of  March,  1897,  by  His  Holiness,  Pope  Leo  XIII, 
Bishop  of  Pogla,  and  Coadjutor  Bishop  of  St.  Albert.  The  solemn  ceremony  of  his 
episcopal  consecration  took  place  the  1  7th  of  June  in  the  old  Cathedral  that  had  wit 
nessed  already  so  many  pious  functions.  The  consecrating  Bishop  was  Bishop  Grandin 
himself,  assisted  by  Bishop  P.  Durien,  O.M.I.,  of  New  Westminster,  B.C.,  and  Bishop 
T.  Clut,  O.M.I.,  Auxiliary  Bishop  of  Athabasca  and  Mackenzie,  while  the  service  was 
presided  over  by  His  Grace,  the  Metropolitan  Archbishop  Langevin,  of  St.  Boniface. 

This  was  a  great  consolation  to  the  venerable  Bishop  of  St.  Albert,  for  he  thought 
that  there  would  be  two  henceforth  to  love  his  faithful  flock,  and  to  work  for  the  salva 
tion  of  their  souls.  Other  consolations  were  to  follow.  On  September  15th,  1899, 
Archbishop  P.  Bruchesi,  of  Montreal,  came  to  pay  a  solemn  visit  to  the  old  Bishop, 
who  now  was  unable  to  undertake  long  journeys.  The  following  year,  October  6,  1900, 
it  was  the  representative  of  the  Pope,  the  Most  Excellent  Diomede  Falconio,,  Apostolic 
Delegate  for  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  who  came  purposely  to  see  St.  Albert  and  its 
holy  bishop.  How  much  this  great  favor  was  appreciated,  it  is  easy  to  imagine  by 
those  who  know  How  Bishop  Grandin  had  always  been  intensely  devoted  to  the  Holy 
See  and  to  the  Successor  of  St.  Peter. 

As  a  token  of  the  intimate  attachment  of  the  See  of  St.  Albert  to  the  chair  of  Peter, 
the  favor  was  asked  from  the  Apostolic  Delegate  that  he  would  bless  the  corner  stone 
of  the  new  Cathedral,  which  it  was  intended  to  erect,  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  church, 
now  much  too  small  for  the  increasing  population.  His  Excellency  willingly  consented, 
and  on  the  7th  of  October  he  solemnly  blessed  the  stone  which  had  been  kept  ready 
for  the  occasion,  and  he  went  over  the  entire  site  which  was  to  be  covered  by  the  new 
edifice,  sprinkling  it  with  holy  water. 

We  must  not  omit  another  event  of  great  importance  which  had  taken  place  the 
21st  of  January  of  this  same  year,  1900.  This  was  the  inauguration  of  the  Diocesan 
Seminary,  an  object  that  the  Bishop  had  in  view  since  the  beginning  of  his  episcopate. 
A  large  school  house  had  been  removed  at  a  convenient  distance  and  with  the  addition 
of  two  wings  could  afford  accommodation  for  about  thirty-five  students. 

We  have  come  to  the  year  1902,  which  was  to  be  the  last  of  the  earthly  career  of 
the  first  Bishop  of  St.  Albert.  On  the  6th  of  April  another  episcopal  consecration 
took  place  in  the  venerable  Cathedral.  All  the  hierarchy  of  the  ecclesiastical  Province, 
and  a  numerous  gathering  of  the  clergy  were  present  for  the  occasion,  when  Bishop 
Gabriel  Breynat  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Adramyte  and  Vicar-Apostolic  of  Mac 
kenzie  and  the  Yukon  Territory.  As  Bishop  Pascal  exclaimed  in  an  impressive  and 
eloquent  sermon,  "It  seemed  as  if  St.  Albert  was  the  place  in  which  to  consecrate 
Bishops." 

On  May  the  28th,  Bishop  Grandin,  although  unable  to  leave  his  room  on  account 
of  his  increased  sickness,  was  gladdened  to  hear  that  his  coadjutor  had  turned  the  first 


22  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


sod   for  the  excavation  of  the  crypt  of  the  new  Cathedral.      This  was  another  dream  of 
his  life  which  had  begun   to  materialize. 

The  end  was  not  far  away,  and  on  the  3rd  of  June  the  saintly  bishop  quietly 
passed  away  to  his  well  deserved  reward,  mourned  not  only  by  the  clergy  and  the  people 
of  St.  Albert,  but  by  the  whole  diocese  and  numerous  friends  beyond  its  limits.  His 
memory  is  still  kept  fresh  and  will  remain  forever  in  veneration.  Not  more  than  two 
years  later,  his  Life,  at  once  so  edifying  and  so  interesting,  was  written  by  Rev  Father 
E.  Jonquet,  O.M.I. 

His    Lordship,    the    Right    Rev.    Emile    Joseph    Legal,    O.M.I.,     for    many    years 
isnop  Grandm  s  coadjutor,  with  the  right  of  succession,  has  succeeded  to  the  throne  of 
the  diocese  of  St.  Albert.      The  work  on  the  new  Cathedral  was  kept  up   for  the  whole 
season  of  the  year    1902  and  continued  during  the   following  year,   to  be  resumed   again 
I  he  crypt  was  built  and  the  walls  carried  about   four   feet  above  the  floor  of 
the    upper   church,    and    then    the    whole   structure   was    roofed    in.       It    was    only    on    the 
4th  of  January,    1906,   that   this  crypt  could   be  blessed   and   dedicated    for  divine  ser 
vice.       I  he  total  cost  so  far  was  about  $23,000.      Although  lacking  all  decorations,  the 
building  is   of  impressive  aspect,    and   with   its   large  proportions   affords   ample   room    for 
the   seating  of   the   congregation   and    the   display   of   religious   ceremonies. 

As  soon  as  the  crypt  had  been  open  for  divine  service  steps  were  taken  to  remove 
the  old  Cathedral  some  distance  away  in  proximity  to  the  Seminary,  and  convert  it  into 
a  large  and  commodious  hall,  furnished  with  a  stage  and  other  fixtures  for  all  classes  of 
entertainment. 

On  the  21st  of  March  the  remains  of  Bishop  Grandin,  buried  under  the  Sanctuary 
of  the  old  Cathedral,  were  solemnly  transferred  to  the  tomb  prepared  for  them  in  the 
apse  of  the  crypt  behind  the  altar.  This  was  a  pious  and  impressive  service,  and  the 
good  Catholics  of  St.  Albert  and  the  surrounding  districts  had  the  consolation  for  two 
days  of  again  viewing  the  features  of  the  Saintly  Bishop  through  a  glass  plate  which 
had  been  purposely  set  in  the  front  of  the  coffin.  Although  three  and  one-half  years  had 
elapsed  s;nce  the  time  of  [he  death,  and  the  body  had  not  been  embalmed,  the  sweet  and 
calm  face  was  still  perfectly  recognisable. 

I  he  last  ten  years  have  been  busy  ones  for  the  new  Bishop  of  St.  Albert.  The 
country  has  made  wonderful  strides  in  the  way  of  development  and  progress  since  the 

when  the  organization  of  the  new  Provmce  was  in  view.  Railroads  have  been 
built  in  all  directions.  The  formal  inauguration  of  the  Province  took  place  on  the 
first  of  September,  1905.  The  C.N.R.,  which  had  reached  Edmonton  from  Win 
nipeg  through  Fort  Saskatchewan,  pursued  its  course  through  St.  Albert,  as  far  as 
Morinville.  Branch  lines  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  have  been  built  East 
of  Lacombe  and  Wetaskiwin.  Then  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific  had  inaugurated  its 
gigantic  undertaking  and  reaching  Edmonton  in  1911,  unrelentingly  pursued  its  course 
towards  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Pacific  Coast.  New  churches  and  chapels  had 
to  be  provided  for  a  number  of  stations,  besides  other  numerous  groups  of  Catholics 
springing  up  in  every  direction.  Yet  it  is  certainly  gratifying  for  the  Bishop  and  his 
efficient  staff  at  St.  Albert  to  be  able  to  record  the  great  progress  and  the  expansion  of 
our  holy  religion  in  Western  Canada.  May  God  Almighty  be  praised  for  all  His  heaven 
ly  blessings  that  have  made  the  divine  seed  grow  and  increase! 

^1  here  are  a  few  other  events  worth  recording.  On  the  8th  of  September,  1909, 
the  Golden  Jubilee  of  priesthood  of  Very  Rev.  Father  A.  Lacombe  was  duly  celebrated, 
at  St.  Albert.  A  large  gathering  of  priests  and  friends  took  place  on  the  occasion.  Rev. 
Father  Leduc  preached  the  sermon  and  fittingly  dwelt  on  the  wide  and  eventful  career 
of  the  venerable  missionary.  The  banquet  hall  was  graced  by  the  presence  of  His 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  23 


Honor  the  Lieutenant  Governor  of  the  Province,  Hon.  Geo.  H.  V.  Bulyea,  the  Attor 
ney  General  Hon.  C.  W.  Ross,  and  many  other  distinguished  members  of  the  Provincial 
Parliament,  together  with  a  host  of  other  friends. 

The  next  day  another  impressive  celebration  took  place.  It  was  also  a  Golden 
Jubilee,  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  coming  to  the  missions  of  North  Western  Canada, 
of  the  devoted  missionary  sisterhoods.  Not  only  Gray  Nuns  were  called,  but  all  the 
other  communities  which  had  come  later  on  to  join  in  the  noble  work.  About  a  dozen 
of  these  communities  were  represented  m  the  gathering. 

This  double  festive  event  was,  for  good  Father  Lacombe,  as  a  parting  farewell  to 
his  beloved  mission  of  St.  Albert.  Then  he  went  back  to  his  old  friends  and  orphans 
whom  he  was  gathering  in  his  home,  "the  Lacombe  Home"  on  the  banks  of  the  gentle 
stream  known  as  Fish  Creek,  at  Midnapore,  there  to  pass  the  last  years  of  his  devoted 
life,  amongst  the  poor  and  destitute  of  the  Province  for  whom  he  had  provided  the  tender 
solicitude  of  these  angels  of  mercy  called  the  Good  Sisters  of  Providence.  There,  m 
silence  and  a  prayerful  retreat,  he  is  awaiting  the  call  from  above,  for  a  well  merited  and 
bountiful  reward. 

Let  us  record  also  the  visit  of  His  Excellency  Most  Rev.  Donat  Sbaretti,  Apostolic 
Delegate,  October  18,  1903. 

As  time  went  on,  the  evangelical  work  was  progressing  wonderfully  in  the  former 
wilds  of  the  North  West.  Big  cities  had  taken  the  place  of  former  humble  villages, 
especially  after  the  organization  of  the  new  Provinces  of  Saskatchewan  and  Alberta,  in 
1905.  Regina,  which  had  been  selected  to  be  the  capital  of  the  Province  of  Saskatch 
ewan,  had  become  an  Episcopal  See  with  Rt.  Rev.  O.  Mathieu  as  first  Bishop.  From 
the  title  of  Vicariate  Apostolic,  Prince  Albert  had  passed  to  the  rank  of  another  Bish 
opric,  the  Vicariate  of  Keewatin,  had  been  formed  from  the  eastern  part  of  Saskatch 
ewan  and  the  northern  part  of  Manitoba.  Something  was  to  be  done  also  for  the  Diocese 
of  St.  Albert.  Calgary,  Lethbridge,  Medicine  Hat,  in  the  southern  part  of  Alberta,  had 
grown  to  be  large  cities.  The  Holy  See  decided  to  create  a  new  Diocese,  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  with  its  Episcopal  See  in  Calgary,  and  a  first  Bishop,  in  the  person  of  Rt. 
Rev.  John  McNally.  But  at  the  same  time,  it  was  considered  proper  to  raise  the  old 
See  of  St.  Albert  to  the  dignity  of  an  Archbishopric.  As  the  population  of  Edmonton 
had  reached  at  that  time  nearly  60,000  inhabitants,  the  Metropolitan  See,  instead  of 
remaining  at  St.  Albert,  was  transferred  to  Edmonton,  the  capital  of  the  Province  of 
Alberta,  30th  November,  1912.  Later  on  a  decision  of  the  Holy  See  directed  that 
the  new  cathedral  and  the  residence  of  the  Archbishop  should  be  also  in  Edmonton. 
Such  decision,  of  course,  will  cause  the  severing  of  very  sweet  ties,  but  the  endearing 
memories  of  the  hallowed  place  of  St.  Albert  will  remain  with  us  for  the  years  that  are 
to  come. 

In  1910  a  new  Apostolic  Delegate  had  succeeded  Msgr.  Sbarelti  in  Ottawa.  Msgr. 
Pelegrino  Stagni,  the  new  Delegate,  was  invited  to  visit  the  immense  country  put  under 
his  supreme  jurisdiction,  and  St.  Albert,  for  the  third  time,  had  the  honor  to  receive 
the  first  representative  of  the  Pope.  The  occasion  of  the  visit  of  His  Excellency  was 
also  a  great  event  in  the  annals  of  St.  Albert,  and  this  event  was  fittingly  celebrated  on 
the  I  Oth  of  July  and  following  days,  by  all  marks  of  devotedness  to  the  Holy  Father, 
and  attachment  to  the  centre  of  Catholicity. 

On  the  16th  June,  1914,  only  the  other  day,  another  celebration  took  place  in 
the  old  Cathedral.  This  was  the  Golden  Jubilee  of  priesthood  of  two  venerable  mis 
sionaries:  Rev.  Father  H.  Leduc,  for  35  years  Vicar  General  of  the  Diocese,  and  Rev. 
Father  C.  Fissier,  who  had  done  pioneer  work  in  the  northern  missions  of  Athabaska  and 
McKenzie,  as  well  as  in  this  Diocese.  About  90  priests  had  gathered  here  for  the 
occasion,  the  largest  clerical  gathering  ever  witnessed  in  St.  Albert. 


24 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


ST.  JOACHIM'S  CHURCH 

Edmonton,    Aha. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  25 


III.— EDMONTON.      1.— PARISH   OF  ST.   JOACHIM. 

Edmonton,  in  1842,  was  nothing  but  an  unimportant  post  of  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  The  residence  of  the  Chief  Factor  in  charge,  the  warehouses  and  the  dwel 
ling  for  the  Company's  employees,  all  surrounded  by  a  high  wooden  palisade,  formed 
what  then  was  often  called  the  "Prairie  Fort,"  or  Fort  L'August  or  rather  Fort  a 
Hughes  (August  Hughes)  or  sometimes  Fort  Edmonton. 

The  first  priest  visiting  this  post  towards  the  end  of  1842  was  the  founder  of  the 
mission  of  Lake  St.  Anne,  Father  Thibault,  who  came  thither  from  time  to  time  and 
icsided  a  few  days  at  times,  to  minister  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  half-breeds  employed 
by  the  Company. 

He  came  there  especially  when  the  Indians  of  the  nation  of  the  Crees,  as  well 
as  those  of  the  Blackfeet  tribes,  used  to  arrive  in  gangs  to  barter  their  fur  skins  or  the 
products  of  the  chase.  The  presence  of  a  priest  was  then  very  often  urgently  sought 
for  by  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  Fort.  The  savages,  who  oftentimes,  on  these  oc 
casions,  menaced  danger,  were  restrained  by  the  authority  of  the  missionary,  whom  they 
always  respected. 

Considerations  of  this  nature  moved  the  representative  of  the  Company  for  thai 
district,  Mr.  William  Christie,  to  think  of  building  a  chapel  with  a  residence  for  the 
use  of  the  missionaries,  both  to  be  erected  within  the  enclosure  of  the  Fort. 

In  fact,  the  chapel  was  so  built  in  1857.  This  was  the  beginning  of  a  permanent 
mission.  The  Oblate  Fathers  from  St.  Anne  and  St.  Albert  came  very  often  to  take 
up  residence  there  in  turn. 

In  1  865  they  opened  in  this  same  chapel  and  residence  the  first  school  at  Edmon 
ton.  Rev.  Father  Const.  Scollen  took  charge  of  it,  and  it  was  well  attended  by  the 
children  of  the  employees  of  the  Fort. 

On  October  llth,  1876,  the  circumstances  had  changed.  The  Mounted  Police 
had  just  been  established  in  these  parts  and  a  treaty  had  been  arranged  between  the 
government  and  the  natives,  so  that  there  was  no  longer  any  danger  to  fear  from  this 
latter  quarter.  Then,  too,  a  certain  number  of  colonists  had  come  to  settle  on  the  lands 
to  the  east  of  the  Fort.  In  consequence,  the  officer  succeeding  Mr.  Christie  in  charge 
of  the  Fort,  decided  to  thank  the  Oblate  Fathers  for  the  services  which  they  had 
rendered  in  the  past,  but  for  which  there  was  no  further  need,  and  they  were  then 
invited  to  transfer  their  church  outside  the  Fort  and  beyond  the  lands  reserved  by  their 
Company.  At  this  juncture  Mr.  Groat  offered  them  nine  acres  on  that  handsome  pro 
perty  known  today  as  the  "Groat  Estate."  There  it  was  that  in  October,  1876,  anoth 
er  chapel  was  erected  with  the  materials  of  the  old  building. 

The  Rev.  Fr.  Blanchet  was  put  in  special  charge  of  the  services  there,  and  •  for 
some  years  he  took  up  his  residence  at  St.  Albert  but  came  thither  to  stay  for  days  and 
sometimes  weeks  together. 

A  wretched  shack,  built  a  few  paces  from  the  church  and  occupied  by  undesir 
able  neighbors,  was  bought  up  by  the  church  authorities  at  St.  Albert  and  let  at  the 
reasonable  rent  of  $3  a  month  to  a  young  stranger  who  had  arrived  in  the  country 
by  way  of  Montana,  with  a  little  merchandise,  some  packages  of  tobacco  and  especially 
some  candies  for  the  children.  This  man,  by  his  perseverance  and  energy,  was  destined 
to  make  his  mark  in  the  history  of  the  Northwest.  He  soon  increased  his  little  store, 
and  with  a  little  hand  printing  press  undertook  the  publishing  of  some  telegraphic  news, 
which  he  distributed  each  week  to  his  subscribers.  From  these  humble  beginnings  he 
became,  in  time,  the  proprietor  and  editor  of  a  newspaper  which  made  its  influence  felt 
in  the  whole  country — "The  Edmonton  Bulletin."  Later  on  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  the  Territories  and  then  a  member  of  the  Federal  Parlia 
ment.  He  later  became  the  Minister  of  the  Interior  of  the  whole  Dominion  of  Canada 


26 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


— the  Hon.  Frank  Oliver.  He  it  was,  who  said  afterwards  to  Father  Leduc  of  Ed 
monton,  "You  priests,  you  are  at  times  quite  incomprehensible.  For  years  you  live  in 
paltry  sheds;  your  churches  and  your  chapels  are  wretched  affairs.  You  allow  other 
religious  denominations  to  leave  you  behind,  and  then  all  of  a  sudden  you  set  to  work 
to  build  real  cathedrals,  houses,  convents,  schools  and  hospitals  which  carry  you  to  the 
very  top  of  progress,  all  abreast  with  the  times." 

Notwithstanding,  the  mission  at  Edmonton,  now  in  1876,  at  the  second  phase  of 
its  history,  had  much  headway  to  make  to  reach  the  height  above  mentioned.  Before 
long  it  became  necessary  to  change  its  site. 

In  1882  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  in  view  of  coming  events  and  of  the  im 
portance  which  Edmonton  was  likely  to  gain  in  the  near  future,  divided  its  land  into 
town  lots  and  put  them  on  the  market.  A  whole  block  was  bought  by  the  Oblate 
Fathers. 

The  following  year  a  chapel-house  was  built  and  the  Mission  of  St.  Joachim  was 
then  firmly  established  in  the  western  part  of  the  survey  then  made  by  the  Hudson's 
Bay  Company. 

On  October  1st,  1883,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Grandin  assumed  charge  of  the  mission, 
accompanied  by  a  young  Oblate,  a  theological  student.  Father  Grandin  became 
his  professor,  teaching  him  in  the  philosophy  and  theology  courses  preparatory  to  Holy 
Orders.  In  return,  his  pupil  by  way  of  distraction  and  recreation,  became  his  profes 
sor  s  cook. 

The  Catholic  population,  few  in  number  at  first,  began  gradually  to  grow  more 
numerous.  It  became  urgent  to  increase  the  accommodations.  A  pretty  large  chapel 
was  erected  near  the  house  of  the  missionary.  This  done,  the  mission  began  to  assume 
an  air  of  some  importance.  Nevertheless,  one  thing  of  great  moment  was  still  needed,  a 
good  and  excellent  general  school  with  a  boarding  school  for  the  children  of  the  young 
parish. 

The  Sisters  of  the  Congregation  of  the  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus  had  been  found 
ed  in  France  in  1820  by  the  venerable  Madame  de  Bonnault  d'Houet.  In  a  few  years 
they  had  acquired  a  great  reputation  for  learning  and  for  ability  in  the  art  of  teaching. 
In  France,  in  Spain,  in  Italy  and  especially  in  England  they  were  directing  primary 
schools,  boarding  schools,  academies  and  houses  of  higher  education  with  the  greatest 
success. 

It  was  to  these,  that  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  appealed.  The  appeal  was 
favorably  received.  The  Rev.  Mothers  promised  to  undertake  the  direction  of  the  Cath 
olic  School  and  to  open  a  boarding  school  for  girls  and  young  ladies  with  a  special  course 
preparatory  to  taking  diplomas.  The  prospects  were  not  very  bright,  indeed,  but  the 
Bishop  had  said,  "It  is  to  your  devotedness  and  spirit  of  sacrifice  that  I  appeal." 

"Then,"  answered  the  Very  Rev.  Mother  de  Bengy,  then  the  Superioress  Gen 
eral  of  the  Institute,  "If  it  is  a  sacrifice  that  you  require  from  us  we  will  make  it." 

A  convenient  home  was  immediately  built,  adjoining  the  church,  for  the  dwelling  of 
the  priest,  and  the  Oblate  Missionaries  handed  over  their  own  residence  to  the  coming 
Rev.  Mothers  to  be  their  temporary  convent. 

The  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus  arrived  in  Edmonton  in  September,  1888,  and 
immediately  opened  their  classes  and  boarding  school.  Edmonton  was  still  at  that  time 
only  a  village,  dignified,  in  anticipation,  with  the  name  of  town,  until  it  should  become 
what  it  is  today,  a  flourishing  city  and  the  capital  of  Alberta.  Very  soon  the  Convent 
of  the  Faithful  Companions  had  to  be  considerably  enlarged,  for  it  was  indeed  too  in 
sufficient  in  size  to  receive  the  children  who  were  becoming  each  day  more  numerous. 
In  1  890  Father  L.  Fouquet,  who  had  lately  come  from  British  Columbia,  took  the  place 
of  Father  Grandin,  who  had  been  appointed  to  Lake  Labiche.  Rev.  Fr.  A.  Lacombe 


28  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


took  the  place  of  Father  Fouquet  as  parish  priest  in    1895.      The  veteran  missionary  of 
the  West  devoted  himself  with  his  usual  zeal   to  the  spiritual  good  of  the  mission. 

In  1895  he  laid  the  foundations  of  a  good  and  substantial  brick  veneered  house 
which  was  at  last  to  be  a  decent  and  proper  presbytery.  In  this  same  year  also  the  Grey 
Nuns  of  Montreal  built  a  magnificent  hospital  at  the  cost  of  $35,000,  which  was  far 
ahead  of  the  best  brick  buildings  of  the  town  of  Edmonton.  For  this  purpose  they  had 
not  feared  to  assume  a  considerable  debt,  with  full  confidence  in  Divine  Providence  which 
had  never  failed  them.  Very  soon  they  were  able  to  receive  and  bestow  their  care  and 
attention,  at  once  so  affectionate  and  solicitous,  on  some  fifty  sick  cases.  The  first  patient 
was  admitted  on  the  6th  of  December,  1895.  Since  that  date  the  work  has  increased  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  necessitate,  twelve  years  after,  the  construction  of  an  addition, 
double  the  size  of  the  former  building. 

Some  years  later,  in  1897,  on  his  request,  Father  Lacombe  obtained  from  his 
Superiors  permission  to  go  again  to  exert  himself  in  the  missions  of  Southern  Alberta, 
and  the  Rev.  Father  Leduc  came  to  succeed  him  at  Edmonton.  This  latter,  soon  after 
having  taken  charge  of  the  parish,  decided  that  the  time  had  come  to  build  a  substantial 
church  suited  for  the  importance  of  the  Catholic  population.  The  following  year  saw 
the  commencement  of  the  work  of  excavation  necessary  for  the  foundation  of  the  present 
handsome  church  of  St.  Joachim,  the  blessing  of  which  was  solemnly  performed  by  his 
Lordship,  the  Most  Rev.  A.  Langevin,  Archbishop  of  St.  Boniface,  in  presence  of  Bishop 
Grandin,  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  and  assisted  by  Bishop  Legal,  coadjutor  of  the  Diocese 
of  St.  Albert,  and  Bishop  Dontenville,  coadjutor  to  the  Diocese  of  New  Westminster. 

By  the  side  of  the  General  Hospital  there  has  lately  arisen  another  charitable  in 
stitution,  the  Hospital  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy,  a  community  which  was  founded  under 
the  patronage  of  Mgr.  Ignace  Bourget,  Bishop  of  Montreal,  by  Madame  Rosalie  Jette 
(Mother  M.  de  la  Nativite)  its  first  Superioress  General.  The  scope  of  this  Congrega 
tion  is  manifold,  so  that  all  the  miseries  of  poor,  suffering  humanity  can  find  in  this  estab 
lishment  the  best  remedies  and  relief  that  the  most  disinterested  and  tender  pity  can 
procure. 

This  institute,  since  its  relatively  recent  foundation,  has  wonderfully  increased  and 
multiplied  its  houses  in  Canada  and  in  the  neighboring  republic. 

In  August,  1900,  Bishop  Grandin  of  St.  Albert,  commissioned  Father  Leduc  to 
arrange  with  the  Rev.  Mother  General  at  Montreal  for  the  foundation  of  a  house  in  the 
Diocese. 

On  the  29th  of  May  following,  four  Sisters  accompanied  by  a  certificated  nurse, 
arrived  at  Edmonton  to  make  at  least  a  tentative  experiment,  but  they  were  to  stay.  These 
four  Sisters,  though  poorly  accommodated  in  their  temporary  dwelling,  began  their  work 
with  an  energy  that  was  soon  crowned  with  success.  In  March,  1905,  the  concrete  foun 
dations  were  built  of  the  magnificent  building  known  today  as  the  "Misericordia  Hos 
pital."  It  is  only  a  part  of  the  immense  hospital  that  the  plan  has  provided  for. 

The  building  was  completed  at  the  beginning  of  the  following  year  and  on  the  19th 
of  March  the  Sisters  took  possession  of  it.  Already  about  80  patients  on  an  average 
per  day  have  been  admitted  and  this  work  of  Catholic  enterprise  still  continues  its  forward 
progress. 

The  Obstetrical  Department  has  recently  been  thoroughly  organized.  It  occupies 
the  second  floor  and  is  kept  quite  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  Hospital  wards.  The 
meals,  diet-kitchen  and  operating  rooms  are  set  apart  for  the  exclusive  use  of  this  depart 
ment.  Even  the  staff  of  nurses  is  quite  distinct. 

Rev.  Father  A.  Jan  had  been  the  able  assistant  of  Rev.  Father  Leduc  for  several 
years.  During  these  years  he  exerted  his  zeal  and  activity  unsparingly  among  all  classes 
of  the  population.  He  even  took  the  greatest  interest  in  the  protection  and  moral  education 
of  numerous  young  Galician  girls  who  were  engaged  as  servants  in  many  homes.  An 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


29 


O"o 

o  „ 

X  g 


en 


T  ^ 

^M  {y 
H  « 
<  CO 

U^ 

<^ 
S  « 
O  SP 


30  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


evening  school  was  established  for  them,  and  with  the  devoted  co-operation  of  the  Rev. 
Mothers  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus,  was  kept  up  until  the  establishment  in  1902 
of  a  Greek-Ruthenian  parish  in  the  east  end  of  the  city. 

In  1904  Rev.  Father  Jan  assumed  the  functions  of  Parish  Priest  of  Edmonton, 
with  Rev.  Father  P.  Hetu  as  assistant.  Then  the  Catholic  population  had  increased  to 
such  an  extent  and  the  city  grown  so  large  that  it  became  evident  that  another  parish  had 
to  be  organized  in  the  near  future.  This  was  to  be  the  parish  of  the  Immaculate  Concep 
tion,  in  the  east  end  of  the  city. 

In  1906,  Rev.  Father  Jan,  on  account  of  failing  health,  had  to  be  relieved  of  the 
heavy  task  imposed  upon  him.  Rev.  Fr.  A.  Therien,  coming  back  from  Texas,  where 
he  had  been  sent  to  recover  his  health,  was  temporarily  put  in  charge  at  St.  Joachim's 
parish,  but  this  proved  also  too  much  for  his  impaired  strength.  Rev.  Father  A.  Naes- 
sons,  for  many  years  the  able  and  efficient  principal  of  the  Industrial  School  for  the 
Blackfeet  and  other  Indians  of  the  plains,  located  at  Dunbow,  on  High  River,  was  called 
to  take  the  duties  of  Parish  Priest  of  St.  Joachim  and  he  came  in  1907. 

Meanwhile  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert,  having  resigned  his  office  as  Vicar  of  Missions, 
or  Superior  of  the  Oblates  of  the  diocese,  the  Very  Rev.  Henry  Grandin  succeeded  him 
in  this  position  and  took  his  residence  at  St.  Joachim's  Presbytery,  which  became  thereby 
the  Vicarial  or  Provincial  House  of  the  Order  of  the  Oblates,  not  only  for  the  Province 
of  Alberta,  but  for  the  Province  of  Saskatchewan  as  well.  1  hen  the  place  had  to  be  en 
larged.  This  was  done  during  the  year  1907.  I  he  capacity  of  the  house  is  now  more 
than  three  times  what  it  was  before.  A  commodious  basement  has  been  provided  and 
the  whole  house  is  fitted  with  all  the  useful  appliances  of  modern  buildings. 

At  about  the  same  time,  the  General  Hospital,  conducted  by  the  Grey  Nuns,  had 
become  inadequate  for  the  increasing  wants  of  the  population.  A  new  plan  was  con 
ceived  in  which  the  former  building  would  be  the  east  wing  while  another  one  exactly 
bymmelrical  would  be  built  at  the  west  end.  For  the  present  the  central  building  was  to 
be  erected.  This  has  been  done  at  the  cost  of  about  $80,000,  and  with  the  power  house 
and  the  nurses'  home  added,  afterwards,  the  entire  cost  will  reach  the  neighborhood  of 
$160,000.  This  will  give  accommodation  for  at  least  100  patients.  I  he  whole  build 
ing,  as  it  now  stands,  is  one  of  the  handsomest  edifices  in  the  city  of  Fdmonton.  In 
addition,  the  institution  within  has  been  so  devised  as  to  supply  every  possible  comfort  to 
the  patients,  anJ  it  is  provided  with  all  the  most  recent  appliances  and  improvements  de 
manded  by  the  advancement  of  the  science  of  Hygiene.  Above  all,  there  will  be  found 
the  most  intelligent  and  devoted  care  for  suffering  humanity. 

Of  late,  the  elegant  church  of  St.  Joachim,  unfortunately  too  small  for  the  impor 
tance  of  the  parish,  has  received  the  complement  of  the  needed  decorations.  We  can 
mention  a  large  and  artistic  set  of  the  Stations  of  the  Way  of  the  Cross,  and  a  mag 
nificent  altar  of  similimarble,  provided  with  fixtures  for  electric  lighting.  With  all  these 
improvements  and  the  efficient  assistance  of  a  well  organized  male  choir,  the  services  at 
St.  Joachim's  church  are  very  attractive,  and  the  parishioners  may  congratulate  them 
selves  on  the  manner  in  which  their  spiritual  wants  are  attended  to. 

The  sacristy  only  was  a  temporary  affair,  a  relic  of  the  old  mission  buildings.  These 
disappeared  in  1912,  to  make  room  for  a  commodious  vestry,  provided  with  a  hall  for 
the  confessionals  and  a  large  basement,  very  suitable  for  rehearsals,  practices  of  the  choir, 
meetings  of  the  congregation,  etc.,  etc. 

Then  the  parish  would  not  be  behind  the  church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  which 
had  been  provided  with  a  pipe  organ ;  so  a  pipe  organ  was  also  purchased  for  the 
church  of  St.  Joachim,  from  the  same  firm,  Casavant  Freres,  of  St.  Hyacmthe  (P.Q. ) 
at  a  cost  of  about  $5,000. 

When  Rev.  Father  P.  Cozanet,  O.M.I.,  had  done  this  he  was  called  to  another 
field  of  labor  and  in  June  1914  he  went  to  the  Sacred  Heart  parish  of  Calgary.  His  place 
has  been  filled  again  by  Rev.  Father  A.  Lemarchand. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


31 


32  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


The  church  of  St.  Joachim  having  proved  much  too  small  for  the  whole  congrega 
tion,  a  double  service  had  been  organized  on  every  Sunday,  for  the  French  and  English 
congregations,  but  the  division  of  the  parish  had  been  decided  upon  already  for  a  couple 
of  years.  Rev.  Father  Cozanet  was  trying  to  negotiate  a  loan,  when  he  was  called 
away.  Under  the  energetic  management  of  the  Rev.  Father  Lemarchand  everything 
promises  to  come  to  a  satisfactory  issue,  and  the  new  parish  which  is  to  be  called  "St. 
Joseph's  parish"  will  be  organized  on  the  same  lines  as  the  Sacred  Heart  parish  was,  viz.: 
the  present  church  of  St.  Joachim  will  remain  with  the  French  speaking  population,  and 
St.  Josephs  church  to  be  built  in  the  rear  of  St.  Joachim  and  facing  1  1  1  th  street  will  be 
for  the  accommodation  of  English  speaking  nationalities. 

2.— PARISH  OF  THE  IMMACULATE  CONCEPTION   (Edmonton). 

I  his  parish  began  to  be  organized  in  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1905,  but  the 
construction  of  the  church  was  started  only  in  1906.  The  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  donated 
five  lots  on  Block  27,  which  is  situated  on  Kinistino  avenue,  one  and  one-half  miles  distant 
from  St.  Joachim's  church.  Beside  the  ground,  the  Bishop  gave  also  the  proceeds, 
amounting  to  $2,000,  of  the  sale  of  three  lots  on  the  same  block  to  the  Separate  Catholic 
School  District  of  Edmonton.  The  entire  cost  of  the  church,  built  of  solid  brick,  has 
been  about  $10,000.  The  debt  remaining  at  the  end  of  the  year  1907  was  about 
$6,300.  Scarcely  was  the  church  finished  when  it  was  found  to  be  too  small,  the 
population  having  rapidly  increased  beyond  expectation.  The  solemn  blessing  of  the 
church  took  place  on  the  8th  of  December,  1906. 

Rev.  Father  P.  Hetu,  O.M.I.,  who  had  assumed  the  task  of  organizing  the  parish 
and  of  the  building  of  the  new  church,  was  the  first  to  be  put  in  charge,  continuing  to 
reside  at  St.  Joachim's.  In  May,  1907,  Rev.  Father  A.  Lemarchand  came  from  Calgary 
to  become  parish  priest,^  keeping  Father  Hetu  as  his  assistant  until  the  latter  was 
sent  to  Pincher  Creek.  There  had  been  no  resident  priest  as  yet,  as  the  presbytery  had 
not  been  built.  As  soon  as  Father  Lemarchand  was  appointed  he  took  steps  towards 
the  building  of  a  good  dwelling  house  for  the  priest.  A  school,  conducted  by  two  Rev. 
Mothers,  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus,  was  soon  organized,  so  that  the  Catholic 
parish  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  can  now  be  said  to  be  in  good  working  order. 

On  the  8th  of  October,  1911,  the  parish  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  passed 
into  the  charge  of  the  secular  clergy,  Rev.  Th.  Rocque,  a  priest  of  this  diocese  taking 
its  direction.  Rev.  J.  A.  Ouellette  who  had  been  colonization  agent  since  April,  1910, 
succeeded  him  in  1912.  Then  the  parish  having  become  so  large,  that  the  church  could 
no  longer  provide  the  seating  capacity  wanted,  the  question  arose  of  the  division 
of  the  parish  as  to  languages  and  it  was  agreed  with  the  consent  of  the  Bishop 
that  a  new  church  should  be  built  on  some  parish  property,  just  across  the  street.  The 
French  speaking  element  were  to  keep  the  old  church,  and  the  new  church  to  be  built 
by  and  for  the  English  speaking  people.  This  was  to  be  the  Sacred  Heart  parish. 

From  that  moment,  before  the  church  could  be  built,  a  double  service  was  provided 
in  the  church  every  Sunday,  one  for  the  French  speaking  Catholics  and  the  other  for 
the  English  speaking,  or  for  all  other  nationalities  not  French  speaking,  viz.:  German, 
Poles,  Slavs,  Hungarians,  Bohemians  and  many  others  who  are  very  numerous  in  this 
eastern  part  of  the  city. 

The  last  improvement  to  the  church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  was  the  installa 
tion  of  a  pipe  organ,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  any  Catholic  church  of  Edmonton.  This  was 
rather  a  heavy  expense  for  the  parish.  Soon  after,  Rev.  J.  A.  Ouellette,  in  order  to  devote 
all  his  time  to  the  cause  of  colonization,  by  locating  new  settlers,  especially  in  the  northern 
district  of  St.  Paul  des  Metis,  Lac  Labiche,  etc.,  was  prevailed  upon  to  resign  his  fine 
parish  in  favor  of  the  present  parish  priest,  Rev.  A.  Ethier  who  had  succeeded  him 
agent  of  colonization,  but  abandoned  the  position  to  another  priest. 


as 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


33 


NEW    SACRED     HEART   CHURCH 

Corner   Kinistino  Ave.,   and   Picard   St. 

Edmonton,    Alta. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


in 

- 


x 


o 


I  * 
h 

13 


r 

LTj 

n 
z 

c 
3 

r 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  35 


Rev.  A.  Normandeau  is  the  actual  agent  of  colonization  (1914)  and  by  concerted 
action  with  Rev.  J.  A.  Ouellette  is  doing  a  very  important  work. 

3.— THE  PARISH  OF  THE  SACRED  HEART  (Edmonton). 

The  parish  of  the  Sacred  Heart  is,  as  seen  above,  a  division  of  the  parish  of  the 
Immaculate  Conception.  Rev.  M.  Pilon,  a  secular  priest,  admitted  already  for  several 
years  in  the  diocese,  had  been  put  in  charge  of  the  English  speaking  element  of  the  con 
gregation,  about  a  year  before  the  building  of  the  new  church  could  be  undertaken.  A 
settlement  of  the  financial  status  of  both  parishes  having  been  reached  by  mutual  consent 
and  good  will,  the  new  edifice  was  begun  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1913. 

At  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  Apostolic  Delegate  it  was  far  enough  advanced  to 
have  its  corner  stone  blessed  by  His  Excellency,  a  special  favor  greatly  appreciated  by 
the  whole  population. 

The  work  went  on  so  very  satisfactorily  that  possession  of  the  new  building  could 
be  taken  by  December  following. 

This  church  is  a  fine  structure  of  dignified  appearance  on  the  outside.  The  inside 
is  still  plain,  but  may  receive  additional  ornaments.  The  seating  capacity  is  remarkable, 
for  the  size  of  the  church;  1000  people  can  be  accommodated,  550  on  the  main  floor, 
450  in  the  galleries. 

A  fine  large  presbytery  had  been  constructed  while  the  church  was  being  built. 
All  this  reflects  great  credit  on  the  ability  and  energy  of  the  parish  priest,  Rev. 
M.  Pilon.  Of  course  there  is  a  heavy  debt,  about  $38,000,  remaining  on  the  parish, 
but  it  is  expected  that  this  will  be  paid  up  in  due  time. 

The  new  church  was  solemnly  blessed  by  the  Archbishop  of  Edmonton,  on  the  oc 
casion  of  his  first  pastoral  visit  to  the  parish,  the  10th  of  May,  of  this  present  year, 
1914.  Pontifical  Mass  was  celebrated,  and  afterwards  a  banquet  for  several  hundreds 
of  guests  was  provided  in  the  commodious  basement  of  the  new  church. 

The  large  Catholic  separate  school  on  Kinistino  Avenue,  conducted  by  the  Rev. 
Mothers  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus  supplies  the  needs  of  the  children  of  both  parishes 
for  secular  and  religious  instruction. 

The  problem  of  the  division  of  parishes  as  to  nationalities  seems  to  be  satisfactorily 
settled,  only  in  this  manner,  by  having  the  two  churches  built  in  very  close  proximity. 
Then  there  is  no  occasion  for  anybody  not  to  attend  the  services  in  his  own  church. 

4._THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  ANTHONY  OF  PADUA. 

(South    Edmonton). 

The  Parish  of  St.  Anthony  of  Padua,  at  Strathcona,  now  named  South  Edmonton, 
had  been  destined  to  be  under  the  charge  of  the  religious  of  the  order  of  St.  Francis  of 
Assisi,  hence  the  name  of  St.  Anthony  of  Padua,  the  great  wonder  worker  of  the  Fran 
ciscan  Order,  which  was  originally  given  to  it.  Bishop  Grandin  had  entered  upon  nego 
tiations  to  obtain  Franciscans,  but  without  success.  Towards  1 898  further  steps  were 
taken  for  the  same  purpose,  but  with  no  better  result.  In  the  end  it  will  not  be  Strath 
cona  or  South  Edmonton,  but  North  Edmonton  and  Fort  Saskatchewan,  which  will  secure 
the  blessing  of  the  presence  and  ministry  of  the  sons  of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi. 

The  first  house-chapel  was  built  at  the  time  when  the  Rev.  Father  Lacombe  was 
Superior  at  Edmonton  in  1895,  in  a  central  portion  of  the  little  town  which  had  com 
menced  to  develop  rapidly  from  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  railroad,  whose  terminal 
station  was  there.  A  gift  of  two  acres  of  land  for  the  site  of  a  church  had  already 
been  made  by  Mr.  Garneau,  but  as  this  property  was  near  the  river  bank,  at  too  great  a 
distance,  the  Episcopal  Corporation  bought  one-half  of  Block  80  at  a  cost  of  $300. 


36 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


^»rf.— ..  • 


*¥-X$vl&' 


ST.  ANTHONY'S  CHURCH 
Edmonton,    Aha. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


The  first  chapel  had  a  small  sanctuary  which  could  be  separated  from  the  re 
mainder  by  curtains,  and  the  church  thus  served  as  a  school  house  for  several  years. 
Every  day  in  fine  or  bad  weather,  winter  or  summer,  two  nuns  of  the  haithrul  < 
panions  of  Jesus,  left  the  convent  at  Edmonton,  in  sufficient  time  to  arrive  at  the  school 
for  classes,  driving  their  little  carriage  and  crossing  the  Saskatchewan  river,  on  the  terry 
boat  in  summer,  or  on  the  ice,  in  winter  time.  Some  years  hence  this  might  perhaps 
appear  not  much  short  of  heroism,  but  it  was  a  question  of  giving  instruction  and  religious 
education  to  this  little  school  population  already  somewhat  numerous,  and  tnes. 
devoted  Sisters  took  no  account  of  inconveniences  and  fatigue.  This  state  of  affairs 
lasted  until  1902,  when  the  Rev.  Mothers  gave  place  to  a  lay  master. 

Up  to  about  the  end  of  the  year  1901,  the  Mission  of  St.  Anthony  was  served 
by  the  Rev.  Oblate  Father  from  the  parish  of  St.  Joachim,  Edmonton.  In  the  course 
of  the  year  1901  the  Rev.  Father  Jan,  then  in  charge  of  this  post,  undertook  the  con 
struction  of  a  more  spacious  church,  for  the  former  building,  at  once  a  church  and  school 
house,  could  no  longer  hold  the  congregation  which  had  already  been  increased  consider 
ably  The  church  was  erected,  but  it  was  far  from  being  finished  when  the  Rev.  K  L,. 
Nordmann  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  this  parish  on  the  10th  of  ' 

The  principal  framework  was  already  in  position  and  the  roof  on,  but  there  was 
only  one  row  of  boards  on  the  exterior  and  daylight  could  be  seen  through  the  chinks 
left  The  tower  was  raised  as  high  as  the  roof,  but  it  had  no  steeple.  Moreover,  there 
was  a  debt  to  pay.  In  the  month  of  May,  1902,  the  debt  was  cleared,  thanks  to  a 
subscription,  a  bazaar  and  some  concerts.  It  was  now  possible  to  think  of  continuing 
the  building  of  the  church.  A  new  subscription  was  undertaken,  the  young  girls  at  ' 
school  organized  a  new  bazaar  which  brought  in  a  goodly  sum.  Then  the  exterior  ot 
the  church  was  brick-veneered  and  thus  it  became  more  handsome  and  afforded  more 
comfort. 

The  Rev.  Father  Nordmann,  like  his  predecessors,  had  commenced  by  residing  at 
the  house  in  Edmonton,  but  after  a  year  he  was  able  to  construct  a  diminutive  presby 
tery  which  could,  at  a  pinch,  suffice  for  the  exigencies  of  the  time  being.  In  the  month 
of  March  1905,  Father  Nordmann,  on  being  appointed  to  take  over  the  direction 
of  the  Seminary  of  St.  Albert,  was  replaced  by  the  Rev.  Father  O.  I1.  McQuaid  from 
July  to  October,  and  later  on  by  the  Rev.  Father  J.  Danis.  In  the  following  spring  the 
Rev  Fr.  Jan,  now  in  need  of  a  comparative  rest,  came  to  reside  at  Strathcona. 
rest  was  not,  however,  sterile,  for  he  undertook  to  finish  the  interior  of  the  church  and  he 
also  surmounted  its  exterior  with  an  elegant  steeple.  He  also  succeeded  in  constructing 
a  handsome  little  presbytery  in  the  chalet  style,  and  the  old  one  now  became  the  kitchen 
The  school  in  its  turn  had  become  too  small  and  the  Separate  School  District  resolved 
to  build  a  larger  and  more  suitable  one.  The  new  building  of  brick  was  erected  in  I 
and  officially  opened  in  January,  1907.  The  old  school  was  then  transported  to  the 
rear  of  the  church  to  serve  as  a  sacristy. 

In  July  of  this  same  year  the  Rev.  Fr.  O.  P.  McQuaid  again  returned  to  the  parish 
of  St.  Anthony  as  parish  priest.  On  the  6th  of  October,  following,  His  Lord 
ship,  Bishop  Legal,  made  his  first  pastoral  visit  and  administered  the  Sacrament  of  Con- 
lirmation  to  21  persons. 

After  all  these  expenses  and  improvements  the  parish  is,  none  the  less,  free  of  debt. 
The  explanation  is  to  be  found  in  the  consent  of  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  in  applying 
towards  these  expenses  the  results  of  the  sale  of  the  land  formerly  given  by  Mr.  L. 
Garneau,  although  the  land  had  been  substituted  by  the  half  block  bought  in  the  centre 
of  the  town. 

The  Rev.  Father  A.  Blanchet  has  been  stationed  at  St.  Anthony  since  the  month 
of  September  to  act  as  Fr.  McQuaid's  companion.  South  Edmonton,  besides  being  the 
university  town  of  the  Province  of  Alberta,  has  been  chosen  by  the  C.P.R.  as  the  site 
for  its  terminal  station,  and  has  intelligently  profited  by  these  real  advantages,  but  in 


38  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


1913,  the  work  on  the  high  Level  Bridge  over  the  Saskatchewan  River,  which  had 
been  vigorously  pushed,  was  completed  and  the  southern  bank  of  the  river  was  connected 
with  the  northern  bank,  just  close  to  the  majestic  pile  of  the  Provincial  Parliament  build 
ings.  Yet  South  Edmonton  had  already  made  such  headway  as  not  to  be  materially 
affected  by  the  event.  And  the  impendent  construction  of  the  new  cathedral  on  its  side  of 
river  will  add  a  considerable  interest  to  the  university  town. 

Rev.  Father  A.  Lemarchand  had  been  located  here  since  October,  1911.  During 
his  stay  the  congregation  enlarged  considerably,  the  school  was  already  too  small  for  the 
increasing  number  of  children  and  another  providing  four  more  class  rooms,  was  built 
in  another  part  of  the  city  where  a  piece  of  ground  had  been  secured  with  the  view  that 
it  might  be  the  new  center  of  the  parish.  Rev.  Father  Lemarchand  was  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  anew  the  services  of  the  Rev.  Mothers  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus 
who  had  been  the  first  to  assume  the  work  of  education  in  that  parish. 

Accommodation  also  had  to  be  made  for  another  part  of  the  parish  which  was  too 
far  removed  from  the  church  and  could  not  easily  attend  the  services  of  St.  Anthony's. 
Part  of  what  is  called  Gallagher  flats  had  been  included  in  the  parish.  Then  it  was  found 
out  that  the  former  limits  were  the  right  ones;  the  ravine  known  as  Mill  Creek  being 
the  natural  boundary  of  the  parish,  and  in  consequence  these  limits  were  altered  again, 
in  order  to  provide  another  parish  on  the  Eastern  Side  of  Mill  Creek.  The  congregation 
of  the  Oblates  had  already  erected  there,  on  a  fine  property,  overlooking  the  bank  of  the 
Saskatchewan  River,  a  nice  brick  building  fitted  for  the  Juniorate  of  the  Order,  where 
about  forty  students  could  be  easily  accommodated.  At  some  distance  from  it,  a  piece  of 
land  was  secured  by  the  Bishop  to  become  the  centre  of  the  new  parish.  This  parish 
was  to  be  called  St.  Rene,  in  remembrance  of  saintly  Father  Rene  Remas,  uncle  of 
Rev.  Father  Lemarchand,  who  had  been  a  devoted  missionary  in  this  country  and  whose 
name  has  been  frequently  mentioned  in  connection  with  St.  Anne,  St.  Albert  and  many 
other  missions  of  the  Diocese. 

However,  not  to  impose  too  much  hardship  on  people  living  at  Gallagher  Flats  a 
temporary  church  was  built  nearer  the  crest  of  the  hill  overlooking  the  Flats  with  the  in 
tention  of  moving  the  site  later  on,  when  roads  and  other  facilities  of  traveling  by 
street  cars,  will  have  been  improved,  and  of  building  the  permanent  church  on  the  ground 
provided  for  it. 

A  small  separate  school  was  also  provided,  in  the  Flats,  for  the  children  of  the  new 
parish.  I  his  new  church  is  to  be  attended  to,  partly,  by  the  Rev.  Fathers  of  the  Juniorate. 

In  June,    1914,   Rev.    Father  Lemarchand  having  been  called  to  the  parish  of  St 
Joachim     Rev.    Father    I  osquinet,   O.M.I.,    has   just   taken   his   place   as   parish   priest   of 
St.    Anthony. 

5.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.   FRANCIS  OF  ASSISI      (Edmonton). 

About  the  year  1909,  on  account  of  the  packing  plant  of  Swift  and  Co.,  of  Chicago 
having  been  located  on  the  C.N.R.  line,  north-east  of  Edmonton,  a  population  mainly 
composed  of  working  men  employed  by  the  company,  had  begun  to  settle  around,  in  the 
vicinity,  and  it  was  soon  considered  necessary  to  provide  religious  service  for  the  Catho 
lics  of  the  mixed  population.  The  place  was  as  yet  some  distance  from  the  city  limits 
with  a  large  tract  of  the  country  entirely  destitute  of  houses,  but  it  was  evident  that,  be 
fore  long,  the  city  of  Edmonton  would  extend  in  that  direction  and  eventually  absorb 
the  whole  settlement. 

The  Rev.  Franciscan  Fathers  had  been  already  for  some  time  in  charge  of  the 
mission  at  Fort  Saskatchewan.  They  had  come,  as  early  as  April,  1908,  during  the 
enten  season,  to  take  temporary  charge  of  the  parish  of  Our  Lady  of  Lourdes  at 
Lamoureux,  P.Q.,  after  the  unexpected  death  of  Rev.  E.  Dorais,  on  the  16th  of  March 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


39 


40  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


It  was  appearent  that  eventually  a  parish,  at  the  Packing  Plant,  would  become  more 
important  than  at  Fort  Saskatchewan,  and,  in  consequence,  the  Franciscans  were  pre 
vailed  upon  to  built  their  convent  here,  in  North  Edmonton,  instead  of  the  location  which 
had  been  previously  intended  for  it. 

The  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  donated  to  them  one  block  of  land,  situated  at  a  con 
venient  distance  from  the  Packing  Plant.  A  small  house  had  been  built  already  to 
answer  the  purpose  of  a  church  for  the  dozen  or  so  of  Catholics,  who  had  been  gathered 
on  Sundays.  But,  soon  after,  the  convent  proper  was  commenced,  and  by  the  end  of 
9  neanng  completion.  It  was  a  small  and  modest  monastery,  but,  at  the  same  time, 
it  was  substantially  built  of  brick,  with  a  neat  and  pleasing  appearance  on  the  outside] 
and  sufficient  capacity,  on  the  inside,  for  the  small  community  of  Fathers  and  Brothers] 
who  were  to  be  there  accommodated.  Rev.  Father  Berchmans  was  the  first  superior,  and 
to  the  personnel  of  the  house  was  soon  added  Mr.  Pierre  Dorais,  an  uncle  of  the  late  parish 
priest  at  Lamoureux,  who  had  been  already  a  Tertiary  of  St.  Francis  and  thus  became 
the  first  apostolic  syndic  of  the  convent. 

At  first  the  chapel  of  the  community  was  open  to  the  Catholic  population  on  Sun- 
But  as  it  was  not  long  before  it  proved  too  small  for  the  increasing  number  of 
Catholics,  it  was  decided  to  build  a  proper  conventual  church  adjoining  the  monastery 
and  the  new  church  was  solemnly  blessed  under  the  name  of  St.  Francis  of  Assisi.  The 
whole  disposable  ground  was  not  fully  occupied  at  first,  and  the  church  can  be  lengthened 
by  some  twenty  feet.  It  is  built  of  solid  brick  and  presents  a  fine  appearance.  The  en 
largement  cannot  be  long  differed  as  the  church  is  already  too  small  for  a  population  which 
has  passed  the  one  thousand  mark. 

Rev.  Father  Xavier-Marie  has  succeeded  Father  Berchmans  since  the  end  of  the 
year  1  ,  and  already  the  question  has  been  considered  of  the  advisability  of  divid 
ing  the  parish  in  two:  one  for  the  French  speaking  Catholics  and  the  other  for  the  Eng 
lish  speaking  and  other  nationalities.  (July  1914).  A  separate  Catholic  school  has 
been  organized  for  the  young  of  the  parish,  and  some  Franciscan  Sisters  are  preparing 
to  take  charge  of  it. 

6.— THE    PARISH   OF  ST.    EDMUND.       (Elm    Park,    Edmonton). 

1  he  Transcontinental  Railway  known  as  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific  had  pursued  its 
s  course,   through   this   vast   Northern   section  of   Canada,    and   had   reached   Ed 
monton.        When  the  company  decided  to  construct  its  works  and  shops  on  the  North 
ern  part   of   the  district   adjoining   the  city,   it   was   the   occasion    for  many    to   come 
i  locate  in  the  vicinity,  and  the  subdivisions  of  Elm  Park  and  Calder  suddenly    became 
|uite    prominent.       There    were    already    a    certain    number    of    Catholic    families    settled 
there,  and  many  more  bachelors.      It  was  decided  to  lay,  there  again,  the   foundation  of 
a  new  parish. 

The  priests  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,    (from  St.  Quentin,   France),  had  come 
to    this    diocese    the    year    before,    on    the    26th    July,     1910.       They    were    asked    to 
take  charge  of  this  new  parish.      Rev.   Father  E.  Gaborit  began  to  visit  this  population 
A  town  lot  was  secured  near  the  works  of  the  G.T.P.  and  eventually  a  small  presbytery 
and  a  diminutive  church  were  built.      The  church  was  blessed  under  the  patronage  of  St 
Edmund,  on  the   19th  June,    1911.      It  has  been  enlarged  once  already,  in  the  course  of 
the  year    1913. 

As  elsewhere  the  question  of  providing  for  the  education  of  the  young  was  not 
neglected  In  due  course  of  time,  Elm  Park  having  been  included  in  the  city  limits  the 
trustees  of  the  Catholic  separate  school  district  of  Edmonton  took  the  school  under  'their 
control.  I  he  Rev.  Sisters  "Ursulines  de  Jesus"  had  come  on  the  28th  September  1911 
and  they  were  soon  in  a  position  to  take  up  the  work  of  education  for  the  Catholics  of 
this  part  of  the  city. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  41 


At  the  time  of  the  last  pastoral  visit  of  the  Archbishop,  17th  May,  1914,  three 
Fathers  of  the  Order  of  the  Priests  of  the  Sacred  Heart  had  just  arrived  to  help  in  the 
work  of  our  missions. 

7.— THE   PARISH  OF  ST.   FRANCIS  XAVERIUS.    (Edmonton). 

In  the  west  end  of  the  city  we  have  another  parish  known  as  St.  Francis  Xavierus, 
and  fittingly,  this  parish  is  under  the  auspices  of  the  Grand  Society  of  Jesus.  The  found 
ation  of  this  parish  was  brought  about  in  this  wise. 

For  many  years  already,  at  least  since  1904,  steps  had  been  taken  and  long  cor 
respondence  engaged  in,  first  with  the  "Clercs  of  St.  Viateur"  and  then,  since  1906, 
with  the  Rev.  Fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  in  order  to  secure  the  foundation  of  a 
classical  and  commercial  college  in  Edmonton.  After  many  unsuccessful  attempts  and 
delays,  at  last,  in  March,  1912,  Rev.  Father  Carriere  who  was  to  be  the  new  Provincial 
of  the  order,  while  in  Edmonton,  finally  decided  the  foundation  of  the  college. 

After  several  proposals  concerning  the  acquisition  of  a  convenient  ground  for  the 
location  of  the  college,  which  did  not  materialize,  the  Archbishop  of  Edmonton  trans 
ferred,  on  easy  terms,  to  the  Jesuit  Fathers  four  acres  of  land  in  the  western  part  of  the 
city,  to  be,  at  least  the  temporary  location  of  the  college,  and  the  area  of  a  new  parish 
was  immediately  decided  upon. 

The  work  of  the  construction  of  the  new  college  was  soon  under  way,  and  through 
the  ability  and  energy  of  Rev.  Father  Th.  Hudon,  S.J.,  the  new  building  so  satisfactorily 
progressed  that  the  new  institution  was  ready  to  open  its  doors  in  September,  1913,  with 
in  a  few  days  from  the  ordinary  epoch  of  commencing  the  scholastical  year.  The  build 
ing  was  advanced  enough,  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of  the  Apostolic  Delegate,  1  1th  July, 
1913,  to  receive  from  His  Excellency  a  first  blessing.  The  solemn  blessing  provided  by 
the  Ritual  of  the  Church,  for  a  new  institution  of  learning,  was  given  later  on  by  the 
Archbishop  of  Edmonton,  in  the  presence  of  parents  and  students. 

The  parish  of  St.  Francis  Xavierus,  connected  with  the  college  has  been  from 
the  beginning  under  the  able  management  of  Rev.  Father  J.  A.  Grenier,  S.J.  A  priest  s 
house,  part  of  which  was  doing  the  office  of  parish  church  had  been  previously  built  and 
was  the  residence  of  the  community,  until  the  college  would  be  available.  Now  the  large 
and  commodious  chapel  of  the  college  is  used  on  Sundays  as  the  parish  church  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  parishioners,  as  the  surroundings  are  being  built  up  with  a  goodly 
number  of  Catholics. 

In  1914  the  college  received  addition  to  its  staff,  and  will  be  in  perfect 
running  order.  Yet  as  was  said  before,  it  may  happen  that  the  present  location  will 
be  only  a  temporary  one,  as  the  Rev.  Fathers  have  bought  a  large  and  magnificent  pro 
perty  overlooking  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan  River,  just  opposite  the  Provincial 
University  of  Alberta,  and  this  site  might  become  the  permanent  location  of  the  college. 

8.— HOLY  ROSARY  CHURCH    (Polish)    Edmonton. 

Before  leaving  Edmonton  we  have  still  to  mention  another  beginning  of  a  parish 
for  the  Polish  population  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city.  A  nice  little  church  was 
erected  last  year,  1913,  in  the  district  known  as  Norwood,  through  the  exertions  of  Rev. 
Father  P.  Kulawy,  O.M.I.  The  parish  is  only  visited  a  couple  of  times  every  month, 
but  the  church  is  well  filled  on  every  occasion. 

The  blessing  of  said  church  has  not  taken  place  so  far,  but  it  will  be  called  the 
Holy  Rosary  church. 

Lately  a  house  has  been  purchased  to  be  the  residence  of  the  missionary  so  that 
before  long  the  Holy  Rosary  parish  will  be  put  in  complete  running  order. 


42  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


IV.- -THE  MISSION  OF  LAKE  LA  BICHE. 

We   have   now   to   resume   the  narrative   about   early   missions. 

Lake  La  Biche  is  a  magnificent  sheet  of  water  dotted  with  islets  of  more  or  less 
considerable  size,  which  are  covered  with  woods  of  aspens  and  birch  trees,  and  inter 
spersed  with  little  stretches  of  virgin  prairie.  It  was  to  these  islands  that  the  native  In 
dians  came,  each  autumn,  for  the  fishing  season,  so  as  to  secure  a  supply  of  fish  for  their 
subsistence  during  the  winter.  The  lake,  in  its  greatest  length  from  Northwest  to  South, 
measures  about  thirty  miles,  with  a  shore  line  of  approximately  120  miles.  The  depth 
is,  on  an  average,  five  to  six  fathoms  (30  to  36  feet). 

Although  its  period  as  a  mission  station  is  not  recognized  till  the  autumn  of  1853, 
nevertheless  its  inhabitants  had  not  been  altogether  neglected,  for  they  had  already  beeri 
honored  by  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Thibeault  on  a  first  visit,  in  the  autumn  of  1844. 

I  his  man  of  God  came  to  instruct  them  on  three  different  occasions,  and,  in  1851, 
Rev.  Joseph  Bourassa  also  came  to  offer  them  the  aid  of  his  ministry.  In  the  course  of 
these  visits,  many  of  the  natives  had  been  baptized.  Some  had  received  the  sacrament  of 
Christian  matrimony  and  four  or  five  had  been  admitted  to  the  Eucharistic  banquet. 
&&  In  1852,  Bishop  I  ache,  whose  diocese  then  extended  all  over  the  North  West, 

came  accompanied  by  Father  Lacombe,  as  yet  a  secular  priest,  and  paid  a  visit,  the 
principal  purpose  of  which  was  to  take  all  the  necessary  measures  to  discover  if  Lake 
La  Biche  could  provide  the  means  for  the  support  of  a  missionary  settlement,  and  to  in 
quire  into  the  disposition  of  the  natives  in  the  matter.  The  result  of  these  investigations 
being  favorable,  Bishop  Tache  determined  to  send  a  priest  to  them  as  soon  as  possible. 
In  the  spring  of  1853  good  Father  Remas  left  Red  River  for  Lake  St.  Anne,  but  Divine 
Providence  directed  him  to  Lake  La  Biche,  where  he  commenced  his  apostolate  amidst 
privations  and  hardships  of  every  kind,  but  the  same  holy  Providence  inspired  Father 
Lacombe  to  come  to  his  relief  from  Lake  St.  Anne,  with  many  indispensable  articles, 
and  even  to  take  him  back  with  him  for  the  rest  of  the  winter.  It  was  there  that 
Bishop  Tache  found  them  later. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1854  he  had  left  Ile-a-la-Crosse,  in  the  severest  sea 
son,  in  the  very  depth  of  winter,  in  company  with  a  hired  servant  and  two  Otchipwewan 
Indians,  and  after  making  a  passing  call  at  Fort  Pitt  and  Fort  Edmonton  he  had  arrived 
at  St.  Anne,  on  Palm  Sunday.  These  good  Fathers  had  the  consolation  of  entertaining 
His  Lordship  for  three  weeks,  after  which  they  journeyed  with  him  to  Lake  La  Biche, 
where  he  consecrated  the  mission  to  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary,  under  the  title  of 
"Our  Lady  of  Victories." 

In  the  meantime,  Father  Vegreville  came  from  Ile-a-la-Crosse  to  pay  a  visit  to 
his  old  schoolfellow  and  fellow  countryman,  needless  to  say  to  the  intense  joy  and  grati 
fication  of  Father  Remas. 

This  Father  was  badly  housed  and  troubles  came  to  him  from  many  quarters.  Yet, 
in  spite  of  this,  his  zeal  did  not  flag  in  his  arduous  labors  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls 
entrusted  to  him  and  he  kept  to  his  post,  till  news  came  for  him,  by  the  February  prairie 
mail,  that  another  post  was  assigned  to  him  by  an  order  of  obedience  for  the  winter  of 
1855,  when  he  went  again  to  Lake  St.  Anne  to  act  as  novice  master  to  Father  La 
combe,  who  still  desired  to  be  enrolled  under  the  banner  of  Mary  Immaculate. 
During  this  first  sojourn  at  Lake  La  Biche,  he  had  baptized  seventy-two,  of  which  there 
were  as  many  children  as  adults,  conducted  seven  marriages  and  four  burials.  This 
success,  in  spite  of  his  numerous  difficulties,  was  very  consoling  and  gave  testimony  to 
his  untiring  energy  in  the  instruction  of  souls,  especially  as  at  that  time  he  spoke 
the  Cree  language  only  with  great  difficulty. 

To  fill  the  vacancy  about  to  be  caused  by  his  departure  Fathers  Maisonneuve  and 
Tissot  received  orders  from  Bishop  Tache  to  betake  themselves  to  N.  D.  des  Victoires. 
The  former  was  stationed  at  Red  River  and  the  latter  at  Isle-a-la-Crosse. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  43 


Father  Tissot  left  Isle-a-la-Crosse  on  June  11th,  and  arrived  at  Lake  La  Biche 
the  24th  of  the  same  month. 

Father  Maisonneuve  left  Red  River  on  the  2nd  of  July  on  the  barge  of  the  Hud 
son's  Bay  Company  and  arrived  at  Lake  La  Biche  toward  the  end  of  September,  bring 
ing  with  him,  but  not  without  much  trouble,  the  goods  destined  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  mission. 

Further  trouble  was  now  in  store.  The  site  which  Father  Remas  had  chosen  had 
soon  to  be  abandoned  by  reason  of  its  too  close  proximity  to  the  Fort  or  trading  station 
which  the  owners  talked  of  extending  up  to  the  mission  house.  Thus  the  missionary 
could  have  no  land  left  then  but  a  narrow  place,  which  afforded  no  means  of  approaching 
the  lake  for  water.  Finally  the  fishing  was  not  very  abundant  at  this  spot  and  this  was  a 
serious  deficiency,  for  fish  was  the  chief  means  of  subsistence. 

All  these  reasons  determined  the  Fathers  to  change  their  place  of  abode.  They 
made  repeated  visits  to  the  borders  of  the  lake  to  find  some  better  position.  At  last, 
after  many  attempts,  the  site  on  which  the  present  mission  stands  today  seemed  to  offer 
most  advantages,  and  it  was  chosen,  in  spite  of  all  the  obstacles  which  arose  on  all  sides. 

The  new  location  was  six  miles  away  and  to  establish  the  mission  house  at  this  great 
distance  was  no  easy  enterprise. 

After  removing  all  that  he  could  of  the  scanty  furniture  of  the  house  built  some 
years  before  by  Rev.  Fr.  Remas  with  so  much  trouble  and  fatigue,  Father  Fissot  aban 
doned  it  on  the  20th  of  March  and  came  to  rejoin  his  brother  religious  in  his  encamp 
ment. 

At  the  new  site  of  the  mission,  every  Sunday,  however,  he  left  it  to  offer  Holy 
Mass  for  the  Catholics  still  residing  near  the  Fort.  This  service  he  continued  to  render 
them  as  long  as  the  ice  on  the  lake  remained  solid. 

By  dint  of  hard  work  the  missionaries  succeeded  in  clearing  some  acres  in  which 
they  sowed  fourteen  barrels  of  potatoes,  a  little  barley  and  a  quantity  of  cabbages  and 
radishes.  Meanwhile,  the  work  on  the  house  had  been  started  and  advanced,  it  is  true, 
very  slowly,  for  the  carpenters  were  only  beginners.  Nevertheless,  it  was  habitable  by 
the  1  3th  of  June,  1856,  the  day  of  the  arrival  of  Bishop  Tache  on  a  visit  to  the  house. 

It  certainly  was  not  a  palace,  yet  the  sorry  piece  of  work  though  it  was,  the  mis 
sionaries  congratulated  themselves  on  having  a  shelter  to  protect  them  a  little  against  bad 
weather,  and  in  which  they  could  entertain  His  Lordsh:'p.  Bishop  Tache  remained  at 
Lake  La  Biche  till  the  14th  of  June,  sharing  with  the  missionaries  their  modest  and  ill 
prepared  hut. 

While  on  his  visit,  Bishop  Tache  took  the  desired  opportunity  of  now  determining 
the  exact  limits  of  the  mission.  He  also  blessed  the  property,  and  the  presence  of  the 
men  who  had  accompanied  him  was  made  use  of  by  placing  the  old  house,  which  still 
stood  at  the  former  site,  upon  a  raft  and  bringing  it  thus  along  over  the  lake. 

At  the  time  of  the  Bishop's  arrival  a  cart  road  had  been  decided  upon  to  put  the 
mission  in  communication  with  Fort  Pitt.  Indeed,  it  had  already  been  begun  and  car 
ried  as  far  as  the  Little  Beaver  river,  about  forty  miles  from  Lake  La  Biche. 

By  the  10th  of  August,  the  news  of  the  arrival  of  the  oxen  and  carts  ordered  from 
Red  Rver  was  brought  by  the  Indian  guide,  who  had  left  the  caravan  at  a  standstill 
on  the  route,  unable  to  approach  for  want  of  a  practical  road. 

On  the  20th  of  the  same  month,  then,  Father  Maisonneuve  started  off  with  four 
men  to  continue  the  work  already  taken  up.  On  the  fifteenth  day  of  this  work  the  road 
was  laid  out  and  opened  as  far  as  Fort  Pitt,  a  distance  of  100  miles  more.  All  the 
country  side  was  waiting  to  see  the  efforts  of  the  missionaries  fail.  In  fact,  they  spoke 
of  it  as  a  foregone  conclusion,  when  the  arrival  of  the  carts  themselves  put  an  end  to 
all  their  idle  talk.  The  Company  and  the  neighborhood  were  glad  enough  now  to  make 


44  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


use  of  this  means  of  communication,  ready  to  admit  that  without  the  courageous  and 
constant  efforts  of  the  poor  missionaries,  the  appearance  of  carts  at  La  Biche  could  not 
have  been  brought  about  so  speedily. 

It  was  in  1857  that  the  first  two  houses  were  built  near  the  mission,  a  good  sign 
that  the  natives  were  beginning  to  come  to  the  priests  of  their  own  accord.  During  this 
year,  too,  Brother  Bowes  prepared  the  frame  work  of  a  much  larger  building,  destined 
in  the  near  future  to  receive  the  Sisters. 

In  the  spring  of  1858,  as  the  result  of  great  labor  and  perseverance,  a  consider 
able  quantity  of  limestone  was  extracted  from  the  lake.  A  limekiln  was  immediately 
constructed  and  the  Fathers  had  at  their  disposal  more  than  300  bushels  of  excellent 
lime.  They  commenced  at  once  to  construct  very  strong  and  solid,  in  stone,  the  new 
building,  the  wood  work  for  which  was  set  up  in  the  course  of  August. 

During  the  summer  of  the  years  1859  and  1860,  Fathers  Tissot  and  Maisonneuve, 
assisted  by  Brothers  Bowes,  became  masons  and  brought  the  house  for  the  Sisters  to  a 
satisfactory  state  of  completion.  A  part  of  the  ground  floor  was,  however,  reserved 
to  serve  as  a  public  chapel. 

At  the  end  of  the  summer  of  1860,  after  eight  years  of  laborious  endeavor,  Fr. 
Tissot  and  Fr.  Maisonneuve  had  the  consolation  at  last  of  seeing  their  mission  each  year 
progressing  materially  and  spiritually,  and  being  placed  more  and  more  on  a  lasting  basis. 
They  had  a  house  of  their  own,  rude  enough,  it  is  true,  but  still  comfortable.  In  ad 
dition,  they  had  built  a  fine  house  in  stone  of  two  floors,  measuring  30  x  50  feet.  It 
was  now  time  to  think  of  arising  and  offering  the  poor,  ignorant  natives  of  Lake 
La  Biche  more  abundant  means  of  religious  instruction.  It  was  time,  also,  to  establish 
a  good  school  and,  in  due  course,  to  open  an  orphanage. 

To  the  regeneration  of  a  people  it  is  a  point  of  absolute  necessity  to  start  by  look 
ing  after  the  young;  an  impossibility  without  a  school  conducted  in  a  wise  and  Christian 
spirit. 

It  was  resolved  upon,  therefore,  by  the  Fathers,  that  they  should  obtain  Sisters  for 
the  mission  of  N.  D.  des  Victoires.  Bishop  Tache  again  applied  to  the  Superioress 
General  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  of  Montreal  to  be  kind  enough  to  send  a  little  colony 
of  her  good  nuns  to  Lake  La  Biche.  Three  Sisters  received  their  order  of  obedience 
and  made  ready  to  depart,  glad  to  co-operate  with  the  Fathers  in  the  establishment  of 
Catholicism  in  these  far  off  territories  now  being  opened  to  their  zeal.  These  three 
Sisters  were  Rev.  Sister  Guenette,  Superior;  Sister  Daunais  and  Sister  Tisseur. 

In  the  beginning  of  May,  1862,  Fr.  Maisonneuve  left  with  some  men  for  Red 
River  to  meet  the  Sisters  there,  where  he  arrived  after  a  journey  of  32  days.  On  reach 
ing  Lake  La  Biche  the  Sisters  had  the  consolation  of  seeing  the  Indians  grouping  them 
selves  around  the  mission.  In  the  course  of  the  summer  ten  new  houses  had  been  begun. 
Thus  they  could  see,  from  the  first,  that  there  would  not  be  wanting  plenty  of  work  for 
their  zeal.  They  courageously  took  up  their  duties  at  once,  sharing  the  labor  in  a  spir 
it  of  mutual  charity.  They  took  charge  of  the  chapel,  the  sacristy  and  vestry,  the  ward 
robes  of  the  missionaries,  the  kitchen  arrangements  and  the  school.  Oftentimes,  too,  ac 
cording  to  their  strength,  they  helped  on  the  farm,  which  was  being  developed  more  and 
more  each  year,  but  the  principal  aim  of  the  constitution  of  this  order  is  rightly  the  con 
duct  of  schools  and  orphanages. 

A  year  after  the  coming  of  the  Sisters,  the  Fathers  rejoiced  that  God  was  each 
year  blessing  their  first  attempts,  and  began  to  think  of  means  of  providing  bread  for 
their  colony.  At  the  end  of  June,  1863,  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  being  able  to  build 
a  mill  on  a  little  water  course  about  a  mile  from  their  residence. 

This  mill  held  on  well  for  many  years,  rendering  valuable  service  in  spite  of  the 
damages  it  received,  which,  however,  were  repaired  every  year.  Meanwhile,  Father 
Tissot  was  sent  to  St.  Albert  to  replace  Fr.  Lacombe,  who  was  now  destined  in  a 
special  manner  for  the  evangelization  of  the  Half-breeds  and  the  Blackfoot  Indians. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  45 


Father  Maisonneuve,  now  worn  out  with  toil  and  fatigue,  and  threatened  moreover 
with  complete  deafness,  received  an  order  of  obedience  to  repair  to  Red  River,  whither 
Bishop  Tache  had  recalled  the  good  Father  to  have  him  near  himself,  there  to  secure 
for  him  the  rest  he  so  greatly  needed. 

Father  Vegreville  was  in  charge  of  the  mission,  when  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Faraud, 
Vicar  Apostolic  of  Athabasca-McKenzie,  came  to  take  up  his  residence  there.  This 
post  could  be  easily  made  a  point  of  distribution  for  all  the  goods  and  supplies  of  the 
northern  missions.  There  boats  could  be  built  and  laden  with  their  cargoes  and  the  La 
Biche  river,  being  the  outlet  of  the  lake  of  the  same  name  into  the  Athabasca  river,  it 
was  an  easy  matter  for  the  boats  to  go  down  stream  to  the  said  river. 

By  an  agreement  concluded  in  1877,  by  Archbishop  Tache,  delegated  for  this 
purpose  by  the  Very  Rev.  Superior  General  of  the  Oblates,  it  was  decided  that  the 
Mission  of  Lake  La  Biche,  while  remaining  part  of  the  Diocese  of  St.  Albert,  would 
be  temporarily  considered  as  a  dependency  of  the  religious  vicariate  of  Athabasca-McKen 
zie,  and  administered  by  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Faraud. 

This  state  of  affairs  was  to  be  maintained  for  twelve  years  more  until  1889,  when 
a  new  road,  through  Edmonton,  was  opened,  giving  communication  with  the  same  river 
Athabasca,  at  Athabasca  Landing. 

During  all  this  period  the  Mission  at  Lake  La  Biche,  being  an  episcopal  residence, 
took  on  great  importance  and  became  prominent  over  all  other  missions  after  St.  Albert. 
Large  warehouses  were  constructed  in  which  to  store  and  keep  the  supplies  of  all  the 
northern  missions.  There,  early  in  the  spring  of  each  year,  boats  were  built  in  order  to 
be  ready  to  be  launched  at  high  water  time  in  the  rainy  season.  And  when  the  goods 
were  arriving  from  Red  River  or  when  they  were  transferred  to  the  boats  and  the  little 
fleet  was  getting  ready  for  the  trip,  there  was,  around  the  mission's  buildings,  and  along 
the  shore  of  the  lake,  a  busy  and  picturesque  scene  of  noisy  and  bustling  activity. 

Bishop  Henry  Faraud,  O.M.I.,  Bishop  of  Ananour,  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Athabas- 
ca-McKenzie,  arrived  at  Lake  La  Biche  on  the  27th  of  July,  1875.  There  were  great 
rejoicings  at  the  mission,  but  alas!  the  joy  was  not  to  last  long! 

THE  TRAGIC  DEATH  OF  BROTHER  ALEXIS  REYNARD,  O.M.I. 

We  find  the  following  account  of  the  sad  event  in  the  annals  of  the  Oblates  of 
Mary  Immaculate: 

"On  the  day  following  the  arrival  at  Lake  La  Biche  of  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Faraud, 
a  good  half-breed,  named  Thomas  Hupe,  reached  the  mission.  'Brother  Alexis  Rey 
nard,  where  is  he?'  was  his  first  question.  'If  the  Brother  has  not  yet  returned,  then 
I  greatly  fear  some  misfortune  has  happened.  A  month  ago  we  left  Lake  Athabasca 
together  to  come  here,  in  company  with  my  family  and  an  Iroquois  half-breed  named 
Louis  Lafrance.  The  journey  was  being  made  satisfactorily  when  all  at  once  we  found 
ourselves  confronted  by  the  sudden  swelling  of  the  waters  in  the  Athabasca  river. 

"  'We  had  already  passed  Fort  McMurray  at  some  considerable  distance,  when  we 
realized  that  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  row  our  way  up  stream  in  our  canoes.  Our 
provisions,  also,  were  so  reduced  that  we  were  quite  unable  to  make  for  our  destination 
at  Lake  La  Biche.  Then,  said  I  to  Brother  Alexis,  "We  have  nothing  else  to  do  but 
to  retrace  our  steps  to  Fort  McMurray  and  wait  there  till  the  river  returns  to  its  normal 
height.  We  can  then-obtain  the  necessary  supply  of  provisions  from  the  Hudson's  Bay 
Company,  and  we  shall  then  be  able  straightway  to  ascend  the  stream  again  in  safety." 

"  'But  Brother  Alexis  replied:  "Monseigneur  Faraud  is  waiting  for  me  at  Lake  La 
Biche  to  construct  the  boats  that  are  absolutely  necessary  for  the  transport  of  the  supplies 
indispensable  for  his  mission.  I  must  at  all  cost  arrive  at  the  appointed  time,  otherwise 


46  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


all  the  missions  of  the  north  will  be  in  suspense  and  deprived  of  their  needful  supplies. 
Return  with  your  family  to  Fort  MclVIurray  while  I  and  my  guide,  Louis  the  Iroquois, 
will  go  by  land  to  Lake  La  Biche.  We  will  live  as  best  we  can  by  our  guns,  and  after 
six  or  seven  days  march  across  the  forest  we  shall  arrive  at  the  mission." 

'My  wife  and  I,'  added  Thomas  Hupe,  'returned  to  Fort  McMurray.  It  is 
now  three  weeks  since  Brother  Alexis  and  his  guide  left  us,  and  they  ought  to  have  been 
here  fifteen  days  ago.  Since  they  have  not  arrived  I  can  only  conclude  that  some  mis 
fortune  has  occurred.' 

"The  following  day,  two  half-breeds  engaged  by  Father  Leduc,  left  Lake  La 
Biche  to  go  to  the  relief  of  the  missing  Brother  and  the  guide.  Twelve  days  later  they 
returned,  arriving  at  the  mission  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

'I  have  found  your  Brother,'  said  one  of  them.  'He  is  buried  under  a  slight 
covering  of  sand  at  the  entrance  of  the  mouth  of  the  River  des  Maisons  into  the  Atha 
basca  river,  and  what  is  very  extraordinary,'  added  the  man,  'the  bones  were  already 
fleshless,  but  I  recognized  the  Brother  very  easily  by  his  beard  and  his  hair. 

'Brother  Alexander  Lambert  immediately  set  out  with  a  canoe  and  four  men  to 
discover  the  remains  of  our  poor  Brother.  Arrived  at  the  spot  that  had  been  pointed  out 
to  them,  they  were  proceeding  to  exhume  the  dead  body,  when,  to  their  horror,  they 
found  only  dried  bones,  scattered  pell  mell,  while  many  were  completely  missing.  None 
of  them  bore  the  marks  of  an  animal's  teeth,  but  they  had  been  chopped  in  various  places, 
apparently  by  the  axe  that  was  found  by  the  side  of  the  body,  bearing  the  stains  of 
blood.  I  he  victim's  head  was  pierced  through  and  through.  There  was  no  doubt  but 
that  Brother  Reynard  had  been  killed  and  the  charred  bones  found  at  some  paces  from 
the  spot  gave  indication  that  he  had  served  the  purpose  of  appeasing  the  hunger  of  his 
Iroquois  guide. 

"The  scattered  remains  were  gathered  together  by  Brother  Lambert  with  deep 
respect  and  unspeakable  emotion.  Twenty  days  aftrwards  we  gave  reverent  burial  to 
these  dear  remains  after  I  had  examined  them  myself  and  had  ascertained  the  identity  of 
the  Brother  by  the  inspection  of  his  hair  and  his  beard  which  had  been  left  intact.  A 
shoulder  blade  was  missing.  We  learnt  that  it  had  been  found  later  in  the  forest,  a 
day's  march  from  the  scene  of  the  crime. 

'The  murderer  had  been  forced  to  satiate  his  hunger  on  the  spot  Then,  doubt 
less,  he  had  stripped  the  flesh  off  the  bones  and  carried  away  as  much  of  it  as  he  was 
able,  after  having  first  dried  it  after  the  manner  the  Indians  on  the  prairie  dry  the  flesh 
of  the  buffalo.  Had  the  wretched  guide  himself  finally  to  succumb  to  his  fate?  We 
may  well  forecast,  for  he  has  neither  been  seen  nor  heard  of  since." 

Brother  Alexis  Reynard  had  labored  for  more  than  twenty  years  in  the  missions  of 
the  North  with  unstinting  devotedness.  He  was  always  the  model  of  a  perfect  Re 
ligious.  His  death  was  terrible  from  a  natural  view-point,  but  God  will  have  received 
His  faithful  servant,  to  be  Himself  his  eternal  recompense. 

After  the  departure  of  Bishop  Faraud  from  Lake  La  Biche,  1869,  the  Mission 
lost  much  of  its  importance,  and  became  the  far  away  outpost  of  a  Half-Breed  settle 
ment. 

The  community  of  Sisters  who  continued  conducting  their  boarding  school  for  Half- 
breed  and  even  Indian  children  from  the  surrounding  reserves,  helped  however  to  keep 
up  life  and  movement  on  the  shores  of  the  beautiful  lake. 

When,  however,  at  the  request  of  the  Indian  Department  the  Sisters  had  to  move 
away  to  the  Indian  reserve  of  Saddle  Lake,  it  was  another  sad  blow  to  the  old  mission. 
The  year  1898  saw  the  removal  of  the  community,  to  the  great  lament  of  the  whole 
population.  Then  many  of  the  buildings  began  to  fall  into  decay;  the  big  shed  which 
had  been  the  warehouse  of  all  the  northern  missions,  gave  evident  signs  of  disuse 
and  abandonment,  and  the  little  church  by  the  bank  of  the  lake  with  its  moss-covered  roof 
looked,  indeed  very  old. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  47 


For  a  long  time  the  lumber  and  grist  mill  had  been  out  of  commission,  and  when 
the  colony  of  St.  Paul  des  Metis  had  been  started  in  1896,  what  could  be  still  of  some 
use  was  carried  away  to  the  new  mission,  with  much  other  material  from  the  former 
convent. 

Yet  the  parish  of  Lake  La  Biche  was  never  abandoned,  and  under  the  charge  of 
successive  and  devoted  missionaries:  R.  Fathers,  Tissier,  Grandin,  and  others  it  continued 
to  give  to  the  Half-breed  population  all  the  needed  spiritual  assistance. 

Rev.  Father  Grandin  succeeded  even,  in  the  year  1904,  in  getting  another  com 
munity  of  Sisters  to  take  up  the  work  which  had  been  stopped  since  the  departure  of 
the  Gray  Nuns. 

The  Sisters  called  Daughter  of  Jesus  came  to  Lake  La  Biche,  to  open  a  convent 
and  a  school  for  the  people  of  the  surrounding  district.  The  old  episcopal  residence 
was  turned  over  to  them,  and  a  new  presbytery  was  built  for  the  priests, 

Now,  in  1914,  the  parish  is  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Father  V.  Le  Goff,  O.M.I., 
assisted  by  Rev.  Father  C.  Boulenc.  The  country  around  has  been  settling  considerably; 
a  new  parish  has  been  for  some  time  in  formation,  to  the  north-west  end  of  the  lake, 
under  the  name  of  Plamondonville,  and  new  settlers  are  coming  from  many  directions. 

Besides,  by  reason  of  the  Alberta  and  Great  Waterways  Railroad,  which  had 
been  the  stumbling  block  of  the  former  Provincial  administration,  in  march  1910,  being 
now  constructed  through  this  district,  a  new  era  of  prosperity  seems  to  be  still  m  store  for 
the  country  of  Lake  La  Biche.  It  could  not  be  otherwise,  and  without  being  a  prophet, 
any  one  could  have  announced  these  new  and  prosperous  times,  for  this  Lake  La  Bichi 
country,  on  account  of  its  vast  opportunities  and  of  the  magnificent  scenery  of  its  lake, 
the  finest  of  the  whole  region  of  central  Alberta. 


48  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


CHAPTER  II. 


INDIAN  MISSIONS 


Up  to  the  period  of  the  conclusion  of  the  treaties  passed  between  the  Government 
o     Canada  and  the  different  tribes  of  Indians  in  Alberta  in  the  year    1875,   the  savages 

Province  had,  properly  speaking,   scarcely   any  fixed  or  permanent  missions. 
Living,   for  the  most  part  of  their  time,  a  nomadic  life,  now  out  on  the  vast  prairies 
in  pursuit  of  the  buffalo;   now  in   the  woods  trapping  wild   animals    for  the  skins  which 
they  disposed  of  to  the   fur  buyers;   now  on   the  banks  of  the   lakes  and   rivers  on   their 
fishing  expeditions,     they  could     have    no     resident    priest.       It     is     true,     however,     that 
3blate   Fathers  visited   them   regularly   and   spent   a   great  part  of  their   time   in   their 
various    encampments.      All    those    who    had    to    exercise    the    ministry    under    these    con 
ditions  are  unanimous  in  declaring  that   those  really  were  the   "good   old   times." 

Without  doubt  they  had  none  of  the  material  comforts  since  brought  by  civilization 
hor  their  only  food  there  sufficed  the  flesh  of  the  buffalo,  dried  in  the  sun,  pulverized  and 
mixed  with  the  melted  fat  of  the  animal.      This  was  the   famous  "pemmican,"  which,   if 
not  a  tasty  dish,  was  at  least  highly  nutritious.      Sometimes  a  good-sized  fish,   boiled  or 

roasted,   at  the  camp  fire,   was  the  sole  repast.      There  was  no  bread no  vegetables— 

but  for  drink  there  was  plenty  of  black  tea  thrown  into  the  pot  of  water,  made,  in  the 
winter  time,  from  the  melted  snow.  At  other  times  the  savages  were  reduced  to  long 
enforced  fasts  when  the  chase  and  the  fishing  had  not  been  successful.  On  these 
occasions  the  missionaries  shared  the  lot  of  their  Indians  and  endured  the  most  severe 
privations. 

One  example  among  many  will  suffice.  The  Rev.  Father  Tissier,  now  in  charge 
of  Stony  Plain,  was  then  in  the  Peace  River  district.  In  the  depth  of  winter  he  had 
accompanied  a  band  of  thirty  Indians,  whose  children  he  was  instructing.  They  were 
encamped  in  the  woods,  at  a  distance  of  a  ten  to  twelve  days'  journey  from  any  habita 
tion  and  their  hunt  had  been  a  complete  failure.  For  thirty  days,  Indians  and  missionary 
were  subjected  to  extreme  starvation.  Soon,  for  their  sole  nourishment  they  had  to  be 
content  with  the  insignificant  "rations"  of  about  one  pound  of  flour,  divided  among  the 
whole  party.  Sometimes  a  miserable  dog,  reduced  to  a  mere  walking  skeleton,  vvould 
die  or  be  killed  by  the  savages  of  the  camp  who  disputed  among  themselves  for  the 
disgusting  remains. 

In  spite  of  all  this  the  missionary  was  happy  to  consecrate  his  services  to  the  salva 
tion  of  these  poor  Indians.  Meanwhile,  he  hoped  for  the  day  when  it  would  be  given 
him  to  see  them,  if  not  altogether  abandoning  their  nomadic  life,  at  least  able  to  settle  in 
a  more  permanent  fashion,  in  those  localities  where  they  could  have  missionaries  at  a  fixed 
place  and  then  receive  from  them  a  deeper  knowledge  of  Catholicism  and  the  first 
rudiments  of  a  truly  Christian  civilization. 

This    desire   of   the   Oblate    Missionaries    has    been    realized    today    in    Alberta. 

All  the  Indian  tribes  located  in  the  Diocese  of  St.  Albert  have  entered  into  treaties 
with  the  Government.  They  have  relinquished  their  rights  to  their  lands  on  certain  con 
ditions.  They  have  been  permanently  established  on  Reservations  set  apart  for  them 
and  there  they  have  become  easy  of  access  for  the  missionaries,  with  the  result  that  we 
have,  at  the  present  time,  on  most  of  these  "Reserves,"  as  they  are  called,  important  and 
flourishing  missions. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  49 


These  missions  among  the  different  tribes:  Crees,  Blackfeet,  Stoneys,  Chipweyan 
and  Montagnais,  are  provided  with  churches,  mission-houses,  convents,  and  also  in  cer 
tain  cases.  Industrial  or  boarding  schools  for  boys  and  girls,  and  even  hospitals. 

We  will  now  proceed  by  giving  some  information  on  the  principal  Indian  missions 
of  Central  Alberta. 


I.— THE  MISSION  OF  N.  D.  DU  T.  S.  ROSAIRE.     (Onion  Lake). 

The  Onion  Lake  Mission,  originally  dedicated  to  St.  Louis,  King  of  France,  can 
be  looked  upon  as  the  survivor  of  many  other  missions  which  have  passed  through  various 
vicissitudes,  such  as  those  of  St.  Francis  Regis  at  Fort  Pitt;  Our  Lady  of  Good  Counsel 
at  Frog  Lake  and  St.  Charles  at  Long  Lake. 

In  August,  1877,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lestanc  and  the  Rev.  Fr.  A.  Fafard,  accompanied 
by  Brother  Boon,  left  St.  Albert  to  found  the  mission  at  Fort  Pitt.  They  were  received 
with  hospitality  by  Mr.  McKay,  the  Chief  Factor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  at 
this  post.  As  yet  the  savages  and  half-breeds  at  this  point  had  been  visited  but  rarely 
by  Rev.  Fr.  Maisonneuve,  who  resided  at  Lake  La  Biche.  Father  Lestanc  had  to 
accompany  the  hunters  on  their  buffalo  seeking  expedition,  while  Father  Fafard  re 
mained,  for  the  most  part,  alone.  In  1878,  the  Rev.  Father  Bourgine  was  appointed 
as  his  companion  and  in  1  880,  as  Father  Lestanc  was  sent  to  undertake  the  missions 
around  Battleford,  his  place  was  taken  by  Rev.  Father  Merer. 

Father  Fafard  could  now  devote  himself  a  little  more  actively  to  the  other  groups  of 
Indians  established  elsewhere.  Then,  in  1882,  some  had  chosen  a  Reserve  at  Frog 
Lake,  and  but  rarely  visited  Fort  Pitt,  and  consequently  it  became  important  to  establish 
a  mission  on  their  behalf,  of  which  mission  Father  Fafard  was  especially  put  in  charge. 
He  chose  a  beautiful  elevated  ground,  situated  at  a  little  distance  from  the  Agency,  and 
built  there  a  little  church  which  was  placed  under  the  patronage  of  Our  Lady  of  Good 
Counsel.  The  other  Indians  having  established  themselves  at  Onion  Lake,  the  Mission 
of  Fort  Pitt  was  no  longer  necessary  and  it  was  abandoned  in  1884. 

A  certain  number  of  the  Indians  at  Onion  Lake  were  regarded  as  Protestants.  In 
deed,  a  Protestant  minister  had  been  in  evidence  here  since  1876.  But  many  had  been 
baptized  on  the  prairies  by  Father  Lacombe  or  some  other  Catholic  missionary,  and  as 
soon  as  the  mission  was  established  they  immediately  came  to  it.  1  here  was  a  band. 
also,  living  further  off  at  Long  Lake,  which  was  entirely  composed  of  good  Catholics. 

In  1 884,  the  Rev.  Father  Merer,  who  had  built  a  house-chapel  at  Onion  Lake, 
having  gone  to  St.  Albert  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration  of  Bishop  Grandin's  Sil 
ver  Jubilee,  fell  sick  and  had  to  remain  there.  Rev.  Father  Marchand,  who  had  arrived 
there  about  two  years  before,  was  thinking  of  having  this  house-chapel  blessed  by  Easter 
Sunday,  1885,  but  sad  and  painful  events  had  to  intervene,  to  destroy  in  a  few  days  all 
the  work  of  many  years.  For  the  mission  at  Onion  Lake  as  well  as  that  of  Frog  Lake, 
both  became  the  prey  of  flames. 

The  brief  story  of  these  sorrowful  events  may  be  here  recorded.  About  this  time 
there  had  come  into  the  midst  of  these  savages,  especially  at  Frog  Lake,  a  band  of  Indi 
ans,  all  infidels  still,  composed  of  twenty  families  under  the  Chief  "Big  Bear.'  There 
they  passed  the  winter  of  1884-5.  As  they  did  not  belong  to  this  Reserve,  they  did 
not  share  in  the  distribution  of  rations  which  were  made,  from  time  to  time,  by  the  Gov 
ernment  officials,  and  in  consequence  they  were  discontented. 

Moreover,  as  they  were  of  a  savage  and  fierce  disposition,  they  brought  about  other 
disagreeable  circumstances  for  themselves  and  they  were  in  such  a  state  of  mind  that  any 
motive  whatever  would  be  likely  to  drive  them  to  excesses.  Unfortunately  the  occasion 
then  presented  itself. 


50 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


1. — Indian   Mission,   Beaver  Lake. 
2. — Church  at  Nillet. 
3. — St.    Mathias,    Indian   Mission. 
4. — Indian  of  Cold  Lake. 


5. — Vegreville   Church. 
6. — Quarrel    Lake,    Polish   Mission. 
7. — Spring    Lake. 

8. — One  of   Rev.    Fr.   Kulawy's,   O.M.I. 
Polish  Missions,  Lake  Demay. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  51 


Louis  Riel,  at  the  head  of  the  Half-breeds  and  Indians,  had  had  recourse  to  arms 
to  vindicate  their  rights.  There  had  been  an  encounter  attended  with  bloodshed  at  Duck 
Lake.  Two  letters  coming  from  the  Half-breed  leader  caused  a  great  deal  of  excite 
ment  in  minds  already  restless,  especially  in  "Big  Bear's"  band.  Several  meetings  were 
held.  In  the  first  two,  the  opinion  prevailed  of  the  wisdom  of  keeping  quiet.  Neverthe 
less,  at  the  third  gathering,  presided  over  by  "Big  Bear"  himself,  it  was  decided  that  all 
the  whites,  half-breeds  and  Indians  should  betake  themselves  in  a  body  to  "Big  Bear's" 
camp,  near  Frog  Lake,  with  the  purpose,  as  it  was  supposed,  of  avoiding  all  danger. 
All  the  other  savages  dared  not  oppose  this  plan.  The  true  leader,  however,  seems  to 
have  been  "Big  Bear's"  son,  rather  than  "Big  Bear"  himself,  who  was,  it  is  said,  a 
peaceable  man. 

Next  day,  April  2,  was  Holy  Thursday.  The  church's  special  service  for  this 
day  took  place  as  usual,  and  although  the  minds  were  much  excited  and  many  of  the 
Indians  carried  arms,  there  was  no  disorder  in  the  church.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Marchand 
had  come  from  Frog  Lake  to  join  his  Superior,  as,  on  this  day,  it  is  customary  for 
priests  to  make  their  Easter  communion.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  service,  the  two  Fath 
ers  started  on  their  way  to  "Big  Bear  s"  camp,  according  to  orders  issued  to  them. 

The  Agent,  Mr.  Quinn,  had,  however,  not  been  accustomed  to  receive  orders  from 
Indians  and  it  is  probable  that  he  made  some  objections  and  refused  to  leave  for  the 
camp.  "Wandering  Spirit,"  one  of  "Big  Bear's"  councillors,  came  to  repeat  anew 
the  order  to  follow.  With  his  gun  pointing  to  the  man  he  gave  him  three  successive  com 
mands.  At  the  last  summons,  on  the  Agent's  refusal  to  obey,  "Wandering  Spirit"  fired, 
the  bullet  taking  effect  in  the  forehead  and  stretching  him  dead  on  the  spot. 

This  was  the  disastrous  signal !  In  a  moment  the  cry  reached  among  the  Indians. 
"Death  to  the  Whites,"  and  indeed  in  a  few  minutes  nearly  all  had  fallen  under  the 
death  dealing  bullets. 

The  two  Fathers  were  already  on  their  way,  when  the  sound  of  the  fusilade  at 
tracted  their  attention  and  caused  them  anxious  alarm.  They  were  at  some  distance  from 
each  other  when  an  Indian  arrived  in  all  haste,  exclaiming  to  Father  Fafard  that  Mr. 
Delaney,  the  farmer,  was  fatally  wounded  and  was  calling  for  him.  The  missionary 
returned  on  his  path,  and  it  was  while  on  his  knees  near  the  dying  man,  administering 
absolution  to  him,  that  he,  himself,  fell,  struck  by  a  bullet.  Thus,  in  the  very  exercise  of 
his  Sacred  ministry  he  received  the  Martyr's  Crown. 

The  Rev.  Fr.  Marchand  had  continued  to  follow  those  who  were  taking  him  to  the 
camp.  On  learning,  however,  that  his  companion  and  Superior  had  himself  fallen  mor 
tally  wounded,  he  came  back  to  assist  and  console  him,  but  he  had  not  time  to  rejoin 
him,  for  as  he  appeared  on  the  top  of  a  little  knoll  he  was  himself  struck  on  the  fore 
head  and  expired  on  the  spot.  Father  Fafard  had  not  been  killed  outright,  but  an  In 
dian  seeing  him  in  the  throes  of  his  agony,  shot  him  again  to  give  him  the  finishing  blow, 
out  of  pity,  as  he  pretended  afterwards. 

Some  good  Catholics  carried  the  bodies  of  both  martyrs  away  and  deposited  them 
on  the  floor  of  the  little  mission  church.  A  little  time  after,  other  Indians,  intoxicated 
with  blood  and  carnage,  set  fire  to  the  church,  but  the  floor  of  the  church,  having  fallen 
in,  the  bodies  were  partially  covered  with  earth,  which  prevented  their  complete  destruc 
tion.  Some  days  afterward  they  were  found  there  by  the  soldiers,  who  buried  them 
reverently  in  the  little  cemetery  close  by.  There  they  rested  until  the  time  of  their 
translation  to  the  Mission  of  N.  D.  du  T.  S.  Rosaire,  at  Onion  Lake. 

After  this  massacre  of  Fathers  Fafard  and  Marchand,  the  other  missions  of  Long 
Lake  and  Onion  Lake  underwent  the  same  fate  as  that  of  Frog  Lake,  They  also  were 
burned  and  destroyed  from  top  to  bottom.  However,  the  work  was  not  interrupted  very 
long  by  these  sad  events,  and  in  the  month  of  August  of  the  same  year  we  find  Father 
Remas  at  Onion  Lake,  striving  to  revive  the  downcast  spirits  of  these  poor  Indians  who 


32  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


had  allowed  themselves  to  be  so  sadly  led  astray  by  the  pernicious  councils  of  some  over 
excited  leaders.  In  the  autumn  of  the  same  year,  1885,  Bishop  Grandin  also  came  to 
mourn  over  the  martyrs'  remains  and  to  bewail  the  sad  ruins  of  these  promising  missions. 
In  the  summer  of  the  following  year,  1886,  the  Rev.  Father  Merer  was  appointed 
to  raise  again  the  poor  mission  of  Onion  Lake  from  its  ruins.  By  September  he 
had  already  built  a  little  house,  but  it  was  quite  insufficient  for  the  crowd  of  Indians  who 
gathered  there  on  Sundays.  In  the  following  year,  1887,  it  became  necessary  to  build 
another  house-chapel  of  more  spacious  capacity,  in  which  Holy  Mass  was  celebrated  for 
the  first  lime  on  Christmas  Day. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer,  in  August,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin  came  to  join  Father 
Merer,  and,  thanks  to  the  enlightened  /eal  of  these  missionaries,  the  number  of  Chris 
tians  rapidly  increased,  so  that  for  the  third  time  in  two  years  it  was  found  necessary  to 
undertake  a  new  building.  This  time  it  was  to  be  a  real  church,  exclusively  devoted 
to  divine  worship.  It  was  commenced  on  the  first  of  June,  1888,  and  the  work  was 
pushed  on  with  such  activity  that  it  was  nearly  finished  for  the  feast  of  the  Holy  Rosary, 
October  7th,  the  day  appointed  for  the  solemn  blessing. 

Bishop  Grandin,  himself,  blessed  the  church,  assisted  by  Rev.  Fathers  Merer,  Le 
GofT,  Dauphin,  Cochin,  Vachon  and  Penard.  This  mission  had  originally  been  de 
dicated  to  St.  Louis,  King  of  France,  but,  on  this  occasion,  it  was  placed  under  the 
protection  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Holy  Rosary,  keeping  St.  Louis  as  a  second  patron  saint. 
On  this  occasion  Bishop  Grandin  also  blessed  two  bells,  one  for  Onion  Lake  and  the 
other  for  Cold  Lake  mission,  and  all  these  beautiful  ceremonies  performed  by  His  Lord 
ship,  surrounded  by  a  number  of  the  clergy,  made  a  lively  impression  on  all  the  Indians 
of  the  Reserve. 

Father  Merer  was  now  no  longer  in  charge  of  this  mission.  On  the  29th  o( 
August  of  this  year,  1888,  he  had  been  removed  to  another  field  of  labor  and  Father 
Dauphin  had  remained  to  fill  his  place.  On  the  13th  of  December,  1890,  the  Rev. 
Father  Fhenen  came  to  lend  his  co-operation,  as  Father  Dauphin  was  experiencing 
fatigue,  but  on  the  5th  of  September  of  the  following  year,  Father  Therien  received 
his  order  of  obedience  for  Calgary  and  he  was  replaced  by  the  Rev.  Father  C.  Boulenc. 

I  he  missionaries  have  always  realized  the  importance  of  the  education  of  the 
children.  Thus  a  day  school  had  been  opened  since  1886,  which  was  attended  as  reg 
ularly  as  is  possible  on  an  Indian  Reserve.  But,  here,  as  elsewhere,  the  need  was  felt 
of  a  Religious  Community  of  Sisters  to  direct  so  important  a  work  with  success.  Bishop 
Grandin  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  co-operation  of  the  Rev.  Sisters  of  the  Assump 
tion  of  Nicolet,  and  on  the  8th  of  September,  1891,  the  feast  of  the  Nativity  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  the  first  nuns  arrived  under  the  personal  conduct  of  Bishop  Grandin,  who 
wished  to  install  them  himself  in  their  poor  mission.  These  first  Sisters  were  Rev. 
Sisters  St.  Ignace,  Superioress;  St.  Stanislas,  and  St.  Patrice.  They  immediately  entered 
upon  the  charge  of  the  school,  which,  under  their  management,  has  not  ceased  to  develop 
and  assume  importance. 

It  was  in  the  course  of  this  visit  of  Bishop  Grandin,  on  September  15,  1891,  that 
the  sad  ceremony  of  the  translation  of  the  venerated  remains  of  the  brave  missionaries 
massacred  at  Frog  Lake  took  place,  in  the  presence  of  a  great  gathering  of  people;  all 
of  the  employees  of  the  Indian  Department,  all  of  the  Indians,  Catholic  as  well  as  Pro 
testant,  and  the  Protestant  minister  himself.  The  bodies  were  borne  from  the  little 
cemetery  of  the  former  mission  of  Frog  Lake  and  had  been  deposited  in  two  separate  cof 
fins,  which,  after  the  funeral  services,  were  solemnly  lowered  into  the  vault  prepared  for 
their  reception  in  the  middle  of  the  church  of  Our  Lady  of  the  Holy  Rosary,  where 
they  still  remain.  During  his  stay  on  the  Reserve  the  Mission  Cemetery  was  also  solemn 
ly  blessed  by  His  Lordship. 

Since  this  period  there  have  been  many  changes  in  the  mission  staff.  In  August, 
1892,  the  Rev.  Father  Boulenc  was  replaced  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Cunningham  to  assist 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  53 


Rev.  Father  Dauphin.  Two  years  later,  in  August,  1894,  Father  Dauphin  himself 
was  replaced  by  the  Rev.  Father  Therien.  Up  to  this  time  the  Sisters  had  only  been 
able  to  keep  a  day  school,  but  this  system  was  far  from  giving  the  satisfaction  desirable. 
On  February  17,  1893,  the  school  house  built  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Merer  and  opened  on 
February  6,  1886,  accidentally  became  the  prey  of  the  flames.  Thereupon,  owing  to 
the  demands  of  Bishop  Grandin,  and  the  endeavors  of  Father  Therien,  permission 
was  obtained  from  the  Indian  Department  for  the  erection  of  a  boarding  school  for  fifty 
Indian  children,  with  a  pecuniary  grant  to  aid  in  the  building  of  it. 

Since  that  time  the  Christian  education  of  the  children  is  much  more  complete  and 
the  results  obtained  are  far  more  durable. 

Other  changes  of  the  staff  may  be  briefly  noted.  In  January,  1896,  Father  Fhe- 
rien  was  succeeded  in  the  charge  of  the  mission  by  Rev.  Father  Comire,  with  Father 
Cunningham  as  his  assistant.  The  latter  was  replaced  in  July  of  the  following  year, 
1897,  by  Rev.  Father  Lestanc,  who  only  remained  eight  months,  but  during  this  short 
space  gave  free  scope  to  his  apostolic  zeal.  In  January,  1 899,  Rev.  Fr.  Phillipot 
came  as  Father  Comire"  s  companion  to  be  initiated  in  the  mission  work  among  the  Indians 
and  to  learn  the  Cree  language.  In  July,  1900,  Fr.  Comire  being  called  to  the  Industrial 
School  at  Dunbow,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Boulenc  returned  to  take  charge  of  the  mission  at 
Onion  Lake.  When,  however,  he  had  to  exchange  it  for  the  new  colony  of  St.  Paul  des 
Metis,  Father  Cunningham  was  again  recalled  to  replace  him. 

In  1903,  Father  Phillipot,  requiring  rest,  was  replaced  by  Rev.  Father  Portier, 
who  later  on,  in  March,  1906,  was  transferred  to  the  Mission  of  Stoney  Plain,  while 
Rev.  Fr.  Tissier  came  from  the  latter  place  to  direct  the  mission  of  N.  D.  du  St.  Rosaire. 
He  remained  there  only  about  one  and  one-half  year,  when  he  was  again  called  upon 
to  assume  the  direction  of  his  former  post  at  Stoney  Plain.  But  during  this  brief  space, 
Father  Tissier  knew  how  to  fight  the  good  fight.  On  his  departure  the  Rev.  Fr.  Le 
Clainche  came  to  Onion  Lake  as  Father  Cunningham's  assistant.  The  assistant  of  Rev. 
Father  Cunningham  is  now  (1914),  Rev.  Father  Dupe,  O.M.I. 

At  the  present  moment  the  mission  is  on  an  excellent  footing.  The  boarding  school 
is  very  successful.  The  Indians  show  themselves  more  than  ever  disposed  to  allow  their 
children  to  be  instructed  and  to  have  them  at  the  boarding  school  for  that  purpose.  There 
are  at  present  seventy  children  of  both  sexes  under  the  direction  of  eight  or  nine  religious. 
The  Catholic  Indians  of  the  Reserve  show  respect  to  the  priests  and  are  attached  to 
their  religion,  and  although  they  are  not  perfect,  they  nevertheless  afford  some  con 
solation  to  those  who  are  entrusted  with  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 

Besides  the  Mission  of  N.  D.  du  St.  Rosaire,  the  missionaries  of  Onion  Lake  have 
still  to  give  their  attention  to  the  different  other  posts: 

1st.  The  station  of  Long  Lake,  situated  fifty-five  miles  from  Onion  Lake,  com 
prising  twenty-five  Catholic  families. 

2nd.  That  of  Frog  Lake,  which  has  not  had  a  resident  missionary,  since  the 
sad  events  of  1885,  situated  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Onion  Lake.  It  is  com- 
posed  of  fifteen  Indian  or  Half-breed  families. 

3rd.  Vermilion,  on  the  south  of  the  Saskatchewan  river,  situated  more  than  100 
miles  from  the  Onion  Lake  mission.  This  station  is  of  recent  date  and  is  composed  of 
twenty  Half-breed  families,  who  have  come  from  the  colony  of  St.  Paul  des  Metis  since 
1906  (to  settle  there  and  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunities  given  them  by  the  Gov 
ernment  of  taking  homesteads).  They  are  all  good  Christians,  who  are  glad  to  welcome 
the  visits  of  their  missionary. 

Besides  these,  it  is  necessary  to  visit  the  Cold  Lake  Reserve  from  time  to  time  for  the 
benefit  of  those  Indians  who  do  not  speak  the  Tchipweyan  language,  as  well  as  Island 
Lakes  where  there  are  some  Catholics  among  the  Indians  not  yet  belonging  to  the  Faith. 
Father  Cunningham  is  especially  responsible  for  these  visits  and  a  great  part  of  his  time 
is  taken  up  on  these  long  and  often  arduous  journeys. 


54  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


-THE  MISSION  OF  THE  "SACRED  HEART"— SADDLE  LAKE. 

This  mission  was  originally  dedicated  under  the  name  of  the  Great  Apostle  St. 
Paul,  for  it  seemed  to  succeed  to  the  Mission  of  St.  Paul  des  Cris,  founded  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Lacombe,  on  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan  at  the  place  called  today,  Brousseau.  The 
Mission  of  Saddle  Lake  is  likewise  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan  about 
twenty  miles  higher  up.  The  Mission  of  St.  Paul  des  Cris  had  been  abandoned  in  1873; 
that  of  Saddle  Lake  was  not  definitely  founded  until  1888. 

Nevertheless,  it  was  visited  from  time  to  time  from  the  year  1878.  It  is  true  that 
the  population  was  not  very  numerous.  There  were  only  ten  families  then  living  at  this 
spot,  when  the  missionaries  from  Fort  Pitt  or  Frog  Lake  from  time  to  time  made  a  short 
stay. 

After  the  unhappy  crisis  of  1885,  the  Indian  Department  insisted  on  the  Indians 
scattered  to  the  south  of  Victoria  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Egg  Lake  (today  Whit- 
ford)  being  gathered  on  to  the  Reserve  at  Saddle  Lake.  In  consequence  this  Reserve 
was  increased  in  size  and  in  fact  became  but  one  with  those  of  While  Fish  and  Good 
Fish  Lakes,  under  Chief  Pakan.  On  the  visit  of  the  Rev.  Fr.  Merer  in  1886, 
they  made  great  and  earnest  entreaties  for  a  resident  missionary  in  their  midst,  but  their 
number  was  still  very  limited,  consisting  of  only  five  Catholic  families,  to  which  must 
be  added  six  others  residing  at  White  Fish  Lake.  It  was  not  then  possible  to  grant 
their  request,  but,  for  the  two  following  years,  they  were  visited  by  the  missionary  from 
Onion  Lake. 

Nevertheless,  from  the  time  of  his  visit  in  the  month  of  July,  1888,  the  Rev.  Fr. 
Merer  perceived  that  this  state  of  affairs  could  not  last  long  without  great  danger  to  the 
faith  of  the  Catholics,  for  there  was  a  Protestant  mission  at  White  Fish  Lake  and  the 
Protestant  missionary  sometimes  came  to  hold  religious  services  in  their  neighborhood. 
The  Catholics  who  were  only  visited  twice  a  year,  at  times  went  to  assist  at  these  services. 
It  is  true  that  they  went  there,  beads  in  hand,  and  by  way  of  compensating  themselves 
for  the  privation  to  which  they  were  submitted  from  the  religious  point  of  view,  but  it 
was  none  the  less  a  serious  danger,  and  the  wisest  and  the  oldest  amongst  them  did  not 
hesitate  to  express  to  the  missionary  the  fear  that,  in  a  few  years,  the  children  would  come 
to  confound  the  two  religions. 

Accordingly  the  Rev.  Fr.  Merer  made  careful  report  of  the  situation  to  Bishop 
Grandm.  He  exposed  the  danger  to  which  the  faith  of  the  Catholics  was  exposed  in 
this  district  and  the  hope  he  had  of  leading  back  to  the  practices  of  their  religious 
duties  a  good  number  of  Christians  who  had  been  formerly  baptized  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Lacombe  or  other  missionaries,  from  Lake  La  Biche  or  elsewhere,  and  who,  while  living 
habitually  at  Good  Fish  Lake  or  White  Fish  Lake,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Protestant 
mission,  had  practically  abandoned  all  Catholic  practices  and  were  passing  for  Protes 
tants.  Finally  he  pointed  out  the  advisability  of  establishing  an  intermediary  post  be 
tween  St.  Albert  and  Lake  La  Biche  on  the  one  hand  and  Onion  Lake  on  the  other. 
This  reasoning  was  accepted  and  the  Rev.  Fr.  Merer,  who  had  directed  the  Mission  of 
Onion  Lake  since  1886,  was  himself  entrusted  with  the  charge  of  organizing  the  new 
foundation.  He  left  Onion  Lake  on  the  13th  of  August,  1888,  and  arrived  three 
days  after  at  Saddle  Lake. 

The  Indians  were  overjoyed  to  see  their  desires  realized  and  they  gave  the  mis 
sionary  the  best  reception.  For  their  first  religious  establishment  they  were  satisfied  with 
a  little  shed,  built  of  logs  and  covered  with  earth,  and  leaning  against  the  house  of  an 
Indian  named  Alexis  and  communicating  with  it.  This  provisional  installation  lasted  for 
nearly  two  years  and  here  the  Indians  were  assembled  every  Sunday  for  Holy  Mass, 
Catechism  and  afternoon  service.  A  hundred  persons  could  be  crowded  into  the  two 
dwellings  and  the  congregation  was  always  numerous,  for  these  good  Christians,  some- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  55 


times    coming    from    a    long    distance,    would    bring    their    victuals    with    them    and    would 
not  return  to  their  homes  until  all  the  religious  services  for  the  day  were  over. 

They  could  have  provided  themselves  somewhat  sooner  with  a  less  primitive  as 
sembly  room,  but  they  met  with  opposition  which  it  is  useless  to  recite  here  in  detail. 
Chief  Pakan  always  remained  opposed  to  the  Catholics,  and  the  Protestants,  who 
were  certainly  more  numerous,  were  unwilling  to  permit  the  Catholics  to  build  on  the 
Reserve.  Nevertheless,  owing  to  the  negotiations  entered  upon  by  Bishop  Grandin  with 
the  officials  of  the  Indian  Department,  this  discussion  ended  by  it  being  made  clear 
that  the  Catholics  of  this  Reserve  had  also  the  right  to  have  the  means  of  practicing  the 
Religion  of  their  choice  as  well  as  had  the  others. 

It  must  be  said  that  the  Catholics  had  the  good  sense  to  meet  the  provocations  of 
their  adversaries  with  no  other  reply  than  that  of  patience  and  calm,  and  thanks  to  this 
moderation  and  their  union  in  rallying  around  their  missionary,  they  ended  by  securing 
their  rights. 

The  first  house-chapel,  which  still  serves  as  the  residence  of  the  missionary,  was 
built  on  the  present  site  of  the  Mission  in  the  course  of  the  year  1890.  It  measured 
32  x  24  feet  and  was  of  two  floors,  of  which  the  top  served  as  the  dwelling  part  and 
the  lower  as  the  chapel.  The  Catholic  population  had  notably  increased.  There  were 
several  abjurations  and  many  marriages  had  been  duly  celebrated.  The  Catholics  of 
Good  Fish  Lake,  although  thirty-five  miles  distant,  came  regularly  several  times  during 
the  year  on  the  occasion  of  the  greater  feasts,  and  encamped  for  several  days  round 
the  mission,  to  fulfill  their  religious  duties.  Finally  there  were  also  some  Half-breed 
families  settled  towards  the  place  known  today  under  the  name  of  St.  Paul  des  Metis. 
In  consequence,  the  missionary  of  Saddle  Lake  at  this  period  had  the  care  of  about  300 
souls. 

At  this  time,  too,  the  first  school  was  organized.  The  building  of  the  school  house 
was  begun  on  September  19th  and  was  finished  on  October  26th,  costing  about  $700. 
Mr.  A.  Betournay  came  to  visit  this  school,  even  before  the  building  was  completed. 
Mr.  William  Todd  was  the  first  teacher.  The  Agency  for  the  Department  was,  at  this 
time,  entrusted  to  Mr.  Ross,  assistant  to  Mr.  Potvin. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  1892,  Rev.  Fr.  Boulenc  arrived  at  Saddle  Lake,  to  fill 
the  post  now  left  vacant  by  Rev.  Fr.  Merer,  who  had  been  summoned  to  St.  Albert  to 
help  in  the  duties  of  the  parish.  In  September,  1894,  Bishop  Grandin  visited  the  mis 
sion  for  the  first  time. 

The  work  of  evangelization  had  continued  in  a  sustained  manner.  The  frequent 
visits  of  the  Catholic  missionary  at  White  Fish  and  Good  Fish  Lakes  had  dispelled  the 
prejudices  of  the  Protestants.  There  was  no  longer  such  marked  opposition.  Indeed, 
the  priest  was  often  sent  for  to  the  sick  bed  of  those  who  were  reputed  to  be  Protestants, 
in  preference  to  the  minister.  In  1897,  on  the  occasion  of  a  journey  to  Saddle  Lake, 
the  Rev.  Fr.  Leduc  baptized  the  last  pagan  Indian.  This  was  the  old  father  of  Crane. 
This  old  man  was  then  nearly  80  years  of  age.  He  it  was,  who  m  1876  had  inadvert 
ently  killed  the  great  Cree  Chief  Wikaskokiseyin,  or  "Sweet  Grass,"  who  was  so  well 
loved  and  respected  by  his  race. 

After  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty  with  the  Crees,  during  the  months  of  August 
and  September,  1876,  the  Government  had  made  a  present  of  some  ordnance  revolvers 
to  the  Indian  chiefs.  These  were  objects  of  curiosity  for  them.  One  day  when  visiting 
"Sweet  Grass"  (Wikaskokiseym)  the  old  man  asked  the  chief  to  show  him  his  curious 
firearm.  While  handling  it  and  not  knowing  that  it  was  loaded,  he  touched  the  trigger  and 
the  ball  pierced  the  heart  of  the  famous  chief.  It  was  his  brother  and  his  friend  whom 
he  had  shot  and  he  remained  disconsolate  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 

On  the  18th  of  January,  1898,  the  Mission  of  Saddle  Lake  was  visited  by  Bishop 
Legal.  The  Rev.  F.  H.  Grandin  was  then  in  charge,  having  been  so  since  October 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


2nd  of  the  preceding  year,  with  Fr.  Boulenc  remaining  on,  as  his  assistant,  with  the 
special  task  of  visiting  the  surrounding  posts  as  far  as  Birch  Creek,  and  what  afterwards 
became  Vegreville. 

At  this  period,  in  accordance  with  the  desire  expressed  by  the  Government,  it  had 
been  already  decided  to  transfer  the  Indian  boarding  school  from  Lake  La  Biche  to 
Saddle  Lake.  The  new  school  house  had  hardly  been  finished  towards  the  end  of  July, 
1898,  when  the  transfer  took  place.  It  was  opened  in  its  new  location  on  August  1st 
of  the  same  year,  and  ever  since  that  time  it  has  fulfilled  its  purpose  with  the  utmost 
satisfaction. 

The  following  year  the  new  chapel  was  erected  by  Brothers  Bowes  and  Nemoz. 
It  was  dedicated  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  thus  giving  the  name  to  the  Mission. 

In  1902,  towards  the  end  of  the  month  of  August,  the  Rev.  Father  Grandin  re 
turned  to  Lake  La  Biche,  where  he  had  already  resided  for  a  long  time,  again  to  take 
charge  of  this  Mission,  but  he  retained,  nevertheless,  the  title  of  Superior  of  the  whole 
Saddle  Lake  district.  The  Mission  at  Saddle  Lake  had  now  for  its  director  the  Rev. 
Father  L.  Baiter,  who  had  already  acted  as  Fr.  Grandin's  assistant  for  three  years. 

There  were  two  other  humble  but  devoted  missionaries  to  be  mentioned  as  living 
at  this  time  at  the  Mission  where  they  had  labored  so  much,  and  whither  they  had 
come  to  end  their  days.  They  were  Brother  Alexandre  Lambert,  who  died  on  October 
23rd,  1905,  and  Brother  A.  Nemoz,  who  died  on  July  1st,  1906,  both  of  whom  left 
behind  them  the  memory  of  holy  and  devoted  religious. 

In  1906  the  Rev.  Father  Baiter  commenced  the  publication  of  "The  Sacred 
Heart,"  a  small  monthly  journal,  published  in  Cree  and  lithographed  in  syllabic  char 
acters  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indians.  This  newspaper  soon  took  the  place  of  another 
periodical  of  the  same  type  that  had  been  already  inaugurated  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lizee 
at  Lake  St.  Anne  under  the  title  of  "The  Lake  St.  Anne  Cross." 

The  Rev.  Father  Baiter  has  of  late  obtained  a  proper  printing  press  and  with  the 
assistance  of  Brother  Guibert  to  second  his  efforts,  he  is  now  about  to  present  his  little 
publication  in  a  more  attractive  external  guise,  but  which,  however,  has  always  been 
edited  in  an  interesting  manner  and  which  is  called  upon  to  do  much  good  among  the 
Cree  speaking  people.  Rev.  Father  A.  Husson,  O.M.I.,  is  now  in  charge  of  the 
mission,  but  he  has  still  the  efficient  assistance  of  Father  Baiter.  (1914). 

3.— THE   MISSION   OF   ST.    RAPHAEL.— COLD   LAKE    (LAC   FROID) 

Two-thirds,  at  least,  of  the  Tchipweyan  population  of  Cold  Lake  bear  the  name 
of  Janvier,  or  are  the  descendants  of  some  Janvier.  The  parent  stock  of  these  families 
is  indeed  a  certain  Janvier  who  came  from  Lower  Canada  as  an  employee  or  servant  of 
the  North  West  Company,  which  had  a  post  on  the  North  bank  of  the  Beaver  river, 
about  two  miles  from  the  present  Mission. 

This  Janvier  took  to  wife  a  1  chipweyan  woman  from  Cold  Lake  or  its  neighbor 
hood,  and  by  her  he  had  among  other  children  the  twin  sons,  Jean  Baptiste,  who  became 
the  parent  stock  of  the  Janviers  of  Portage  la  Loche,  and  Basile,  that  of  the  Janviers  of 
Cold  Lake.  This  Canadian  Janvier  returned  to  Lower  Canada  when  the  North  West 
Company  was  definitely  supplanted  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  After  his  father's 
departure,  Basile  was  engaged  by  the  Chief  Factor  in  charge  at  the  Fort  as  its  hunter 
or  food  provider,  a  post  of  confidence  which  gave  him  a  certain  importance  among  his 
fellows. 

When  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Thibault  came  in  1844  to  winter  at  Lac  la  Grenouille  (Frog 
Lake)  this  Basile  had  a  great  number  of  children  who  were  all  baptized  in  the  spring  of 
1  844.  They  were  all  good  Christians,  the  women  especially,  who  have  never  wavered 
in  their  attachment  to  their  religion.  Nevertheless,  one  of  their  brothers,  regarded  by  all 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  57 


as  the  chief  of  all  the  band,  unfortunately  gave  occasion  for  a  deplorable  scandal  by  send 
ing  away  his  legitimate  wife  and  taking  in  her  place  the  widow  of  one  of  his  brothers. 
This  happened  in  1864  or  1865.  All  did  what  they  could  to  bring  him  back  to  his 
duty.  Old  Basile,  his  father,  although  now  more  than  80  years  of  age,  and  fallen  al 
most  mto  his  second  childhood,  did  not  fail  to  reproach  him  with  his  conduct,  but  every 
thing  was  of  no  avail,  and  to  prove  the  feeblemindedness  of  these  poor  Tchipweyans, 
this  scandal,  given  by  one  man  alone,  had  the  effect  of  discouraging  the  others  and 
causing  them  to  neglect  the  practices  of  religion.  The  women  continued,  however,  to  be 
take  themselves  every  spring  to  Ile-a-la-Crosse  to  go  to  their  religious  duties. 

In  1870  the  Rev.  Fr.  L.  LeGoff,  on  his  arrival  at  the  Mission  of  Ile-a-la-Crosse, 
became  acquainted  with  this  state  of  affairs.  He  would  have  liked  to  have  gone  to  Cold 
Lake  to  try  to  find  a  remedy  for  the  situation,  but  his  knowledge  of  the  language  was 
as  yet  insufficient  and  he  resolved  to  wait. 

In  1874,  according  to  an  arrangement  made  the  previous  year,  three  or  four  young 
men  from  Cold  Lake  came  to  meet  the  missionary  and  they  arrived  at  Ile-a-la-Crosse 
about  Easter  Eve.  The  priest  was  to  return  with  them  and  they  departed  together  on 
April  6th,  Easter  Monday. 

The  first  halting  place  was  at  Lake  de  L'Outarde,  (Goose  Lake)  where  there  was 
a  Tchipweyan  village  in  which  the  missionary  was  to  give  a  first  mission.  The  journey 
to  Lac  de  L'Outarde  is  about  1  30  miles  and  it  was  accomplished  in  about  four  days. 
The  missionary  did  not  delay  there  long,  four  or  five  days  only.  Besides,  all  were 
decided  to  accompany  him  to  Cold  Lake,  where  consequently  they  would  have  every 
facility  for  being  present  at  the  spiritual  exercises  of  a  second  mission,  more  important 
than  the  first.  There  were  still  sixty  miles  before  reaching  Cold  Lake.  When  the  banks 
of  the  lake  appeared  on  the  horizon,  where  the  Tchipweyan  band  had  their  dwellings, 
the  missionary  experienced  some  anxiety.  Was  his  important  and  difficult  mission  to 
succeed?  He  recommended  it  to  the  archangel  Raphael,  promising  that  if  he  should 
take  this  cause  under  his  protection,  the  first  mission  to  be  founded  at  Cold  Lake  should 
be  dedicated  in  his  honor. 

The  missionary  was  well  received,  even  by  the  bigamist  Indian  himself.  On  the 
next  morning  a  great  assembly  was  convoked  for  the  purpose  of  treating  the  difficult 
question.  The  missionary,  in  his  address,  referred  to  the  scandal  and  the  necessity  thai 
lay  on  the  culprit  of  putting  himself  right  with  his  conscience  and  his  God,  by  sending 
his  concubine  away  and  taking  back  his  legitimate  wife.  After  him,  one  of  the  guilty 
man's  younger  brothers,  a  man  of  thirty  years  of  age,  also  spoke,  and  in  an  address 
which  lasted  between  two  and  three  hours,  he  spoke  with  so  much  force,  eloquence  and 
conviction  that  the  day  seemed  gained.  No  one  dared  to  add  anything  to  his  words. 
Even  the  bigamist  himself,  now  disconcerted  and  overcome,  declared  himself  ready  to  do 
all  that  was  expected  of  him.  The  Archangel  Raphael  was  doubtless  no  stranger  in 
this  result,  for  the  guilty  man  dismissed  his  concubine. 

Nevertheless,  the  evil  spirit  was  not  prepared  to  relax  his  hold  en  his  prey  so  easily. 
Hardly  had  the  missionary  returned  to  Ile-a-la-Crosse  than  the  two  culprits  returned  to 
their  evil  ways.  The  following  spring,  when  the  missionary  came  to  pay  his  annual 
visit,  they  even  tried  to  elude  him.  On  the  pretext  of  a  short  hunting  expedition,  on  the 
eve  of  the  day  on  which  he  was  expected  to  arrive,  they  had  betaken  themselves  away 
and  they  only  returned  when  they  thought  he  had  departed.  But  they  were  deceived, 
for  the  good  Father  was  still  waiting  for  them.  They  were  very  crestfallen,  and  the 
poor  culprit  exclaimed  to  the  missionary,  "Look  here!  I  am  a  fool.  Leave  me  alone. 
People  don't  bother  about  fools. "  But  he  was  not  so  easily  to  escape  the  lesson  he 
deserved.  He  took  time  for  reflection  and  finally  declared  himself  ready  to  return  to 
his  duty.  This  time  his  resolution  was  decisive.  Every  one  was  relieved  and  hence 
forward,  as  the  cause  of  scandal  had  now  disappeared,  all  seemed  to  take  fresh  courage 
in  the  faithful  practice  of  their  religious  duties. 


58  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


The  Rev.  Fr.  Le  GofF  continued  thus  for  six  years  visiting  them  at  least  once  a 
year  towards  Easter,  in  addition  to  which  he  had  more  than  two  visits  to  pay  during  the 
winter  in  answer  to  sick  calls.  These  journeys,  especially  in  spring  time  in  preparation  for 
Easter,  were  attended  with  severe  hardships.  He  had  usually  to  splash  his  way,  almost 
all  the  time,  in  the  melting  snow.  Father  Le  Goff  found  them  especially  painful,  for 
although  he  was  an  excellent  walker  on  snow-shoes  (raquettes)  or  otherwise,  by  reason 
of  the  nervous  excitement  which  he  experienced  he  could  neither  eat  nor  sleep,  while  on 
the  journey.  Thus,  when  reaching  Lac  de  L'Outarde,  after  a  four  or  five  days'  march, 
his  strength  was  generally  below  zero  point.  On  one  occasion,  among  others,  he  found 
himself  so  enfeebled  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  begin  his  mission,  as  he  could 
neither  speak  nor  hear  confessions.  It  was  not  till  two  days  later,  after  resting,  that  his 
energies  began  to  be  restored. 

At  the  end  of  1879,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  appoint  another  Father  to  take 
charge  of  Cold  Lake.  Father  Le  Goff  had  sufficient  work  to  engage  his  attention  with  the 
Indians  of  Ile-a-la-Crosse  and  those  of  Portage  la  Loche,  who  numbered  from  1,000 
to  1,100.  According  to  the  census  taken  in  the  preceding  year  of  Cold  Lake,  there 
were  no  more  than  1  1 0  to  115  Indians  there.  In  consequence  the  Rev.  Fr.  E.  Petitot, 
a  recent  arrival  from  the  McKenzie  district,  was  appointed  to  organize  the  Mission  at 
Cold  Lake.  This  father  was  a  scholar,  but  while  engaged  on  his  philological  and 
ethnological  studies  he  was  also  actively  employed  providing  the  Indians  with  the  news 
of  religion,  and  if  there  was  any  long  journey  to  make  on  a  far  off  sick  call,  he  was 
not  the  man  to  fear  the  distance  or  the  difficulties  of  the  road.  But,  at  the  end  of  two 
years,  in  the  autumn  of  1881,  for  reasons  of  health,  Fr.  Petitot  had  to  leave  Cold  Lake, 
and  for  a  time  the  Indians  were  without  a  priest. 

In  1882  the  Rev.  Father  Le  Goff  was  called  upon  to  leave  Ile-a-la-Crosse  and 
settle  definitely  at  Cold  Lake,  where  he  has  remained  ever  since.  Father  Petitot  had 
built  his  first  house  near  Lake  L'Hamecon,  some  five  miles  from  the  present  mission.  On 
his  arrival,  Fr.  Le  Goff  built,  with  the  aid  of  the  savages,  a  little  house-chapel,  22  feet 
square,  with  a  little  addition,  shed-roofed,  twelve  feet  square,  adjoining,  to  serve  as  a 
private  chapel,  and  on  Sundays  the  whole  was  turned  into  a  church  by  sliding  two  doors 
into  grooves.  But  in  winter  it  was  difficult  to  guard  against  the  cold,  for  the  building 
was  like  an  ice  house.  However,  the  missionary  remained  twelve  years  under  these 
conditions. 

In  1891  the  new  structures  were  begun,  comprising  a  church,  a  house  a  little 
more  suitable  and  comfortable,  and  some  outhouses.  The  house  was  of  two  floors, 
30  x  40  feet  in  dimensions.  The  church  40  x  22,  with  its  sanctuary  15x12  feet  is 
well  constructed  with  its  vaulted  roof  and  an  elegant  bell  tower.  It  is  painted  within, 
and  its  exterior  is  fairly  tasteful,  but  unhappily  the  church  is  too  small  for  the  Tchip- 
weyan  worshippers,  who  are  always  very  assiduous  in  their  attendance  at  the  religious 
ceremonies.  The  outhouses  comprise  a  cart  shed  and  a  stable.  The  whole  was 
finished  in  1894  with  the  exception  of  a  kitchen  22  x  20,  which  was  added  to  the 
dwelling  house  in  1  896. 

We  must  now  make  special  mention,  among  other  events,  of  the  unfortunate  affair 
of  1885.  The  Tchipweyan  Indians  of  Cold  Lake  could  very  easily  have  gone  for 
refuge  to  Lac  L'Outarde,  where  they  could  have  spent  a  pleasant  time  in  full  security, 
and  this  their  devoted  missionary  advised  them  to  do,  but  other  counsels  prevailed,  which 
shows  the  want  of  sagacity  in  these  good  people.  Instead,  they  joined  "Big  Bear's" 
camp,  near  Frog  Lake.  On  arriving  they  perceived  the  trap  into  which  they  had 
been  ensnared,  but  it  was  too  late.  They  had  gone  there  to  seek  protection,  impelled 
by  their  timidity,  for,  to  own  the  truth,  there  is  no  tribe  less  warlike  than  the  Tchipweyan. 
The  only  result  of  their  false  move  was  the  loss  of  a  great  number  of  their  animals  and 
their  effects,  and  the  loss,  into  the  bargain,  of  Government  favors. 

We  must  notice  a  violent  epidemic  of  small  pox  which  raged  at  the  beginning  of 
the  year  1  889,  and  made  many  victims.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Le  Goff  had  just  departed  for 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  59 


the  East  of  Canada  with  the  view  of  having  some  grammars,  prayer  books  and  sermons 
printed  in  the  Tchipweyan  language.  His  place  was  filled  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Penard, 
whose  knowledge  of  the  native  language  was  as  yet  very  slight,  but  the  Rev.  Fr.  Dauph 
in,  of  Onion  Lake,  came  to  his  assistance  and  gave  valuable  help  in  attending  to 
those  who  understood  the  Cree  language. 

In  spite,  however,  of  his  very  limited  knowledge  of  the  Tchipweyan  tongue,  the 
Rev.  Fr.  Penard  conducted  the  Mission  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner,  hearing  confes 
sions  and  administering  the  sacraments  through  the  assistance  of  interpreters,  if  he  had 
no  means  of  doing  otherwise,  and  on  Father  Le  Goff's  return  all  was  found  to  be  going 
on  admirably.  Father  Penard  has  the  reputation  of  having  a  firm  hand  in  his  adminis 
tration  and  this  is  what  the  Tchipweyans  need. 

Besides  this  absence  of  some  months  in  1889,  Fr.  Le  Goff  had  had  no  other  holi 
day  in  the  space  of  the  sixteen  years  he  had  spent  at  this  Mission.  In  I  899,  however, 
he  obtained  leave  for  a  prolonged  absence  of  seven  or  eight  months  in  which  to  revisit 
his  relations  in  France.  In  the  interval  he  was  replaced  by  Fr.  Lestanc,  who,  in  spite 
of  his  ignorance  of  Tchipweyan  made  himself  beloved  by  these  good  Indians. 

The  Rev.  Fr.  Le  Goff  had  generally  been  alone  on  this  far  away  post,  but  in  1  902 
the  Rev.  Fr.  J.  Portier  was  sent  as  his  assistant  and  he  remained  there  two  years,  from 
January,  1902,  to  January,  1904.  In  October  of  1906  the  Rev.  Fr.  LeClainche  was 
sent  to  study  the  Tchipweyan  language,  but  his  health  did  not  permit  him  to  remain 
long  and  he  left  in  February,  1907.  Father  Le  Goff  at  present  has  only  a  Brother 
as  his  companion,  who  combines  the  offices  of  a  cook  with  all  the  other  duties  of  a  lay 
brother. 

The  population,  which  was  only  1  1  0  to  1  1  5  in  1879  has  since  increased  by  births 
and  by  recruits  from  Lac  de  Coeur  (Heart  Lake)  and  Ile-a-la-Crosse.  At  present 
there  are  about  300  souls.  The  Mission  can  now  be  said  to  be  organized  like  a  civilized 
parish.  On  Sundays  and  Feast  days  is  High  Mass  in  the  forenoon  and  Catechism 
immediately  after  mid-day;  at  1.30  p.m.  Hymn  singing,  instructions,  Rosary  and  Benedic 
tion  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  The  Tchipweyans  are  fond  of  the  church's  services  and 
never  grow  weary  of  singing  hymns  in  their  own  tongue.  There  are  170  to  180  com 
municants  and  nearly  all  approach  the  Sacraments  at  Christmas  and  Easter,  and  others 
at  the  principal  Feasts  of  the  year,  and  those  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  Each  Sunday  there 
are  many  communions.  In  the  year  1907,  on  the  occasion  of  the  pastoral  visit  of  His 
Lordship,  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert,  there  were  twelve  first  communions  and  twenty- 
five  confirmations.  What  renders  the  ministry  difficult  are  the  sick  calls,  for  the  In 
dians  do  not  remain  constantly  on  the  Reserve.  They  are  often  absent  on  hunting  ex 
peditions  100  to  150  miles  away  to  the  North,  East  or  to  the  West.  Rev.  Father  L. 
Le  Goff  had  contemplated  for  a  long  time  the  publication  of  a  Dictionary  of  the  Tchip 
weyan  language.  He  has  gone  now,  1914,  to  Europe  for  this  purpose  and  his  place 
is  filled  by  Rev.  Father  Dauphin,  O.M.I. 

THE  STATION  OF  LAC  DE  COEUR.   (HEART  LAKE). 

Heart  Lake  is  about  1  30  miles  north-east  of  Cold  Lake,  but  much  nearer  Lake 
La  Biche.  However,  there  are  80  Tchipweyan  Indians  there,  and  therefore  it  is  the 
missionary  from  Cold  Lake  who  visits  them.  At  present  he  makes  the  journey  twice  a 
year,  once  in  summer  and  again  in  winter.  Formerly  the  winter  travelling  was  done  on 
snow  shoes  with  a  dog  train.  At  present,  by  taking  a  longer  course  and  passing  by  Lake 
La  Biche,  thus  making  a  journey  of  200  miles,  the  distance  can  be  done  by  carriage  with 
less  strain  and  hardships.  There  is  neither  chapel  nor  priest's  house  at  Lac  de  Coeur, 
but  Holy  Mass  is  celebrated  in  a  poor  Indian  cabin.  Though  poor  and  abandoned, 
these  Tchipweyans  are,  however,  a  kind  hearted  people  and  good  Christians,  and  if 
only  they  were  more  numerous  and  in  better  circumstances,  they  also  would  be  glad  to 
have  their  own  little  chapel. 


60  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


4.— THE    MISSION    OF    ST.    ALEXANDER.— Riviere    qui    Barre. 

I  he  Mission  of  St.  Alexander  is  situated  near  the  Riviere  que  Barre,  about  twenty- 
two  miles  from  St.  Albert,  but  it  was  not  originally  started  here.  It  is  an  Indian  mission 
of  Crees  and  "Stonies,"  nevertheless  the  Cree  language  is  the  only  one  in  use  at  present. 
Formerly  their  hunting  grounds  extended  over  all  that  part  of  the  country  north  of  Ed 
monton  bounded  by  the  Athabaska  river.  Their  trading  post  was  especially  the  old 
Fort  Assiniboine,  of  which  there  only  remain  a  few  traces.  The  Hudson's  Bay  Com 
pany  had  also  a  small  post  at  Lake  La  Nonne,  where  each  winter  they  sent  an  em 
ployee  to  trade  for  furs. 

A  somewhat  numerous  band  was  settled  in  this  direction  and  the  missionaries  com 
menced  to  visit  them.  In  1 869  the  Rev.  Fr.  Leduc  made  a  short  stay  there,  but  the 
Indians  asked  for  a  resident  priest  and  towards  the  end  of  June,  1877,  the  Rev.  Fr. 
Fafard  was  sent  to  take  up  his  abode  with  them.  He  built  a  little  house  for  himself 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake,  on  the  eastern  side  near  that  of  the  Chief  Katchikaweskam.  The 
mission  was,  from  the  beginning,  put  under  the  patronage  of  St.  Alexander  in  honor  of 
His  Lordship,  Bishop  Tache.  On  July  !  9th,  however,  Fr.  Fafard  returned  to  St.  Al 
bert  and  the  house  built  by  him  was  hardly  habitable,  when  the  Rev.  Fr.  Tou/.e  arrived 
to  replace  him,  so  that  he  was  obliged  to  take  up  his  quarters  in  the  chief's  dwelling. 

Henceforth  the  evangelization  of  these  Indians  began  in  a  more  continuous  manner. 
It  must  be  mentioned,  however,  that  a  number  had  already  been  baptized  by  a  Methodist 
minister.  Nevertheless,  with  some  few  exceptions,  they  gave  the  best  of  welcome  to  the 
Catholic  priest.  'I  he  chief  was  one  of  the  most  zealous.  He  gave  hospitality  to  him 
and  in  return  he  and  his  family  received  a  thorough  course  of  religious  instruction.  He 
sent  away  one  of  his  two  wives  and  received  baptism  at  St.  Albert  on  Easter  Sunday, 
1878,  Jiaving  for  his  god-father  the  Rev.  Fr.  Blanche!,  and  for  his  god-mother  the  Rev. 
Sister  Shette.  Since  then  he  is  known  especially  by  his  Christian  name  of  "Alexander" 
(Arcand). 

It  was^  decided  to  fix  the  site  of  the  Mission  in  a  more  appropriate  position  near 
the  Hudson's  Bay  post,  to  the  north  of  the  lake,  and  indeed  another  more  convenient 
house  was  built  there  by  Mr.  Majeau.  Fr.  Touze  came  to  take  up  residence  there, 
accompanied  by  Brother  L.  Van  Tighen,  who,  while  engaged  in  continuing  his  studies, 
at  the  same  time  worked  at  the  completion  of  the  interior  of  the  house. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year,  1877,  the  Cree  Indians  had  signed  a  treaty  with  the 
Government  and  Alexander  was  recognized  as  the  Chief  of  the  band.  This  brought 
about  other  changes.  In  fact,  on  the  16th  of  October,  1879,  Mr.  Wadsworth,  Inspec 
tor  of  Farms  for  the  Indian  Department,  arrived  with  Mr.  J.  J.  McHugh  and  Mr. 
James  O'Donnell,  whose  business  was  to  choose  a  suitable  place  for  the  Indian  Reserve. 
I  hey  decided  on  that  territory  which  is  watered  by  the  Riviere  qui  Barre,  not  far 
from  its  mouth.  The  following  year,  1  880,  in  August  and  September,  the  Reserve  was 
surveyed  and  in  1881  the  Indians  came  to  take  possession  of  it.  The  change  necessitated 
the  abandonment  of  the  Mission  of  Lake  La  Nonne  after  only  two  years  of  existence, 
and  the  Rev.  Fr.  Fouze  returned  to  St.  Albert,  continuing,  however,  to  visit  the  Indians 
from  time  to  time,  as  did  also  the  Rev.  Father  Remas,  who  was  also  appointed  to  visit  the 
"Michel  Callihoo"  Reserve  and  that  of  Stoney  Plain. 

With  the  year  1886  the  Mission  entered  on  its  period  of  stability.  On  the  4th  of 
March  the  Rev.  Fr.  Blanchet  arrived  to  take  up  residence  there.  The  Indians  had  de 
cided  to  build  a  house  which  should  also  serve  as  a  church,  while,  in  the  meantime,  the 
Father  lodged  with  the  Chief.  FVom  the  15th  of  this  same  month  a  school  was  opened 
with  twenty  children  under  the  management  of  Paul  Durocher.  By  September  the  house, 
though  unfinished,  was  habitable  and  the  Rev.  Father  took  up  his  abode  there.  At 
Christmas  the  Midnight  Mass  was  solemnly  celebrated  in  the  lower  part  of  the  house, 
which  served  as  the  church.  There  was  a  great  gathering  of  worshippers  and  the  touching 
ceremony  made  a  beneficial  impression  on  the  Indians. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  61 


In  the  spring  following,  the  question  of  a  boarding  school  for  the  Reserve  began  to 
be  mooted,  for  a  day  school  on  a  Reserve  cannot  be  kept  up  with  regularity  and  gives 
but  little  satisfaction.  The  preceding  winter  of  1887-88  had  been  one  of  utmost 
severity  and  hunger  had  treated  the  Indians  rigorously,  for  there  had  been  no  harvest 
and  the  chase  had  utterly  failed  by  reason  of  the  excessive  cold  and  the  depth  of  the 
snow.  Their  misery  had  been  very  great  and  many  deaths  ensued  in  consequence  of 
these  extreme  privations.  I  he  Government  employees  seemed  scarcely  to  trouble  them 
selves  about  these  conditions,  while  the  missionaries,  on  the  contrary,  constantly  inter 
ceded  on  behalf  of  the  Indians,  but  with  no  great  success.  They  made  numerous  com 
plaints  and  finally  obtained  the  visit  of  Mr.  Reed,  the  Indian  Commissioner.  The  In 
dians  in  this  manner  had  the  opportunity  of  exposing  their  grievances  and  of  making 
known  their  needs,  and  they  obtained  satisfaction  to  a  certain  extent. 

On  the  question  of  a  boarding  school,  they  were,  however,  unable  to  obtain  their 
request,  but  it  was  decided  that  the  establishment  at  St.  Albert,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Gray  Sisters,  being  in  the  more  central  portion,  should  serve  as  the  boarding  school  of 
the  three  Reserves  of  "Stoney  Plain,"  "Michel  Callihoo"  and  "Alexander."  Never 
theless,  the  Protestant  ministers  were  exerting  themselves  on  their  side  and  were  endeavor* 
ing  to  sow  discord.  They  also  wished  for  a  school  and  they  even  established  themselves 
on  the  outer  boundaries  of  the  Reserve.  Then  it  was  determined  to  take  a  census  of 
the  Indians  from  a  religious  point  of  view.  At  the  request  of  Bishop  Grandin,  presented 
at  Ottawa  by  the  Rev.  Father  Gendreau,  who  had  come  on  a  semi-official  mission  to  in 
spect  the  Oblate  Missions  among  the  Indians,  a  Catholic  agent  was  obtained  in  the 
person  of  Count  de  Cazes.  This  gentleman,  however,  sent  his  clerk,  Mr.  Lake,  to  take 
the  census  so  as  not  to  restrain  the  liberty  of  the  Indians.  The  Indians  were  convened 
in  the  presence  of  the  priest  and  the  Protestant  minister  and  it  became  known  that  the 
cause  of  all  this  trouble  was  to  be  found  in  the  actions  of  a  handful  of  fanatics.  The 
Chief,  Alexander,  in  a  truly  eloquent  address,  declared  that  he  wanted  peace  on  his 
Reserve  and  that  those  who  were  not  satisfied  and  wished  to  favor  the  Protestants  should 
betake  them  to  a  distance  and  settle  elsewhere.  This,  in  fact,  was  done,  and  the  min 
ister  made  no  further  attempt  to  settle  on  the  Alexander  Reserve. 

The  years  which  followed  were  marked  with  peace  and  progress  from  the  religious 
point  of  view. 

In  1 892  the  Rev.  Fr.  Blanchet,  who  had  obtained  leave  to  visit  his  family  in 
France  and  rest  there  a  little,  was  replaced  by  the  good  and  zealous  Father  Remas, 
as  ardent  as  ever  for  the  instruction  of  his  neophytes.  At  the  end  of  two  years  he  ob 
tained  in  June,  1894,  the  companionship  of  Rev.  Fr.  Simonin,  whose  duty  it  became  to 
acquaint  himself  with  the  secrets  of  the  Cree  language,  and  the  ministry  among  the 
Indians.  But  at  the  end  of  November  of  the  same  year  Rev.  Fr.  Remas  was  succeeded 
in  the  care  of  the  Indians  of  the  Mission  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin,  who  was  to  spend 
the  following  six  years  among  them,  doing  much  for  the  development  of  the  Mission  and 
the  Christian  education  of  the  natives.  From  his  time,  however,  the  day  school  was 
closed,  as  it  had  never  given  satisfaction,  and  the  regular  course  followed  is  to  draw 
the  children  to  the  boarding  school  at  St.  Albert.  A  presbytery  was  then  built.  The 
house-chapel  was  now  exclusively  reserved  for  worship  with  a  small  sanctuary  and 
sacristy  added.  Of  the  upper  floor,  the  gallery  only  was  retained.  Moreover,  new 
settlers  were  arriving  on  all  sides.  It  was  necessary  now  to  devote  attention  to  them 
also.  At  first  these  attended  the  services  at  the  Mission,  but  soon  it  became  needful  to 
organize  them  into  a  parish. 

The  first  church  of  St.  Emerence  was  built  outside  the  Reserve  and  its  care  en 
trusted  to  Fr.  Blanchet,  on  his  return  from  France.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin  also  visited 
a  group  of  Catholics  to  the  south  of  the  Sturgeon  river  and  built  a  little  chapel  there. 
This  is  now  the  parish  of  St.  Pierre. 


62 


After  a  lapse  of  years,  Father  Dauphin  was  called  from  the  Mission  of  St.  Alex 
ander  to  another  sphere  of  action  and  his  place  was  taken,  in  October,  1900,  by  the 
Rev.  Fr.  Simonin.  This  father  had  for  his  companion  the  Rev.  Father  Nordmann, 
who,  however,  was  very  frequently  absent,  especially  on  Sundays,  in  his  duty  of  visiting 
St.  Emerence,  the  Germans  or  Irish  of  Glengarry,  Morinville  and  even  of  Leduc,  and 
also  the  Galician  settlement  at  Star. 

The  Rev.  Fr.  Simonin  continued  the  work  left  unfinished  by  his  predecessor,  the 
arrangement  of  the  interior  of  the  presbytery  and  the  furnishing  of  the  church  with  an 
elegant  bell  tower. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  Christian  habits,  it  must  be  owned  that  the  advance  of 
the  so  called  civilization  was  becoming  fatal  to  the  poor  Indians.  They  were  afforded 
more  facilities  for  procuring  intoxicating  liquors  and  the  passion  of  the  Indians  for  "fire 
water"  is  well  known.  Drunkenness,  too,  always  gives  birth  to  other  failings,  and  the 
Indians,  formerly  so  pious  and  docile  to  the  voice  of  their  priests,  now  began  to  fall 
back  considerably. 

Besides  these  causes  of  laxity,  it  must  be  said  that  the  time  of  the  missionary  was 
very  much  taken  up  with  other  works  which  were  imposed  on  him.  The  Parish  of  St. 
Peter  had  to  be  visited,  then  near  Long  Lake;  the  foundation  of  a  new  parish  was  re 
quired,  that  of  St.  Charles;  then,  finally,  at  Lake  La  Nonne  a  somewhat  numerous  group 
of  Whites  and  Half-breeds  also  needed  the  visit  of  the  priest.  It  became  even  neces 
sary  to  visit  the  new  settlers  away  on  the  Pembina  river  and  Paddle  river  as  far  as  the 
Athabaska  river. 

In  1905  Father  Simonin  was  called  elsewhere.  Since  then,  after  several  changes, 
we  find  in  charge  in  1907,  the  Rev.  Fr.  J.  Portier,  who  soon  received  a  companion  in 
the  person  of  Rev.  Fr.  Le  Bre.  Brother  Guillaume  came  a  little  later  to  complete 
the  staff. 

The  work  is  sufficiently  great  to  occupy  two  missionaries,  especially  if  all  the  sur 
rounding  stations  are  considered,  which  have  to  be  attended  to,  but,  with  stability  in 
the  staff,  the  perserving  labor  of  the  missionary  will  succeed  in  destroying,  in  part,  at  least, 
the  evil  influences  which  combine  toward  the  ruin  of  the  poor  Indian  race. 

In  1887  the  number  of  souls  on  the  Reserve  was  about  220.  Today,  1914,  it 
hardly  reaches  1  70.  It  is  true  that  two  or  three  families  have  departed,  but  we 
are  forced  to  admit  that  these  Indian  tribes  are  slowly  diminishing  in  number.  Rev. 
Father  P.  Le  Bre  is  now  in  charge  with  the  assistance  of  Rev.  Father  Lizee. 


5.— THE  MISSION  OF  OUR  LADY  OF  THE  SEVEN  DOLORS.    (Hobbema). 

One  spring,  towards  the  year  1840,  an  incident  occurred  in  a  band  of  Indians,  of 
the  same  parent  stock  as  those  now  composing  the  Reserve  at  Hobbema,  which  was  to 
be  fraught  with  considerable  consequence.  Some  of  their  hardy  trappers  had  gone, 
during  the  winter,  as  far  as  Red  River  to  sell  their  furs.  On  their  return  they  were 
relating  among  their  other  interesting  adventures,  that  they  had  seen  the  "Men  of  prayer 
who  have  a  good  heart." 

In  the  midst  of  the  group  of  listeners  there  was  an  old  Canadian  named  Piche,  who 
had  long  ago  thrown  in  his  lot  with  this  band,  and  indeed  had  married  the  daughter  of 
its  chief.  What  it  was  that  passed  in  the  mind  of  this  man,  now  half  a  savage  him 
self,  who  had  almost  forgotten  the  pious  remembrances  of  his  childhood,  we  can  not  say. 
But  he  seems  to  have  had  made  some  deep  reflections,  for  he  decided  to  send  two  of  his 
sons  to  Red  River,  not  only  to  see  a  priest,  but,  if  possible,  to  bring  him  back  with 
them. 


•vr'rf*" 

^^^"X-'X"]^-!!'  'l^'X''!'*5/^^^!!'^^^^ 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  63 


This  deputation  was  in  fact  received  by  Bishop  Provencher  during  the  winter  and 
no  doubt  contributed  no  little  to  the  sending  of  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Thibault  in  1842. 

From  Battleford  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  whole  country  south  of  the  Saskatch 
ewan  was  the  hunting  ground  of  this  band  which  often  found  itself  at  war  with  the  re 
doubtable  Blackfeet.  Without  doubt  they  had  been  visited  at  times  by  the  missionaries. 
But  it  was  very  difficult  to  instruct,  civilize  and  christianize  them  satisfactorily  on  these 
rare  and  short  visits.  The  Buffalo  then  roamed  over  the  plains.  It  was  the  time  of 
plenty  and  the  Indian's  God  was  his  belly,  according  to  the  forcible  expression  of  St. 
Paul. 

However,  on  the  occasion  of  these  missionary  visits,  all  of  the  family  of  this  Can 
adian  who  had  sent  for  the  "Men  of  Prayer"  became  Catholics.  This  was  the  root 
stock  of  all  that  band  now  forming  the  present  Mission  at  Hobbema.  Still,  though 
Catholics,  they  were  far  from  possessing  a  very  complete  Christian  education.  For  that 
it  was  necessary  that  they  should  renounce  their  nomadic  life  and  settle  down  some 
where  in  a  permanent  manner.  A  new  condition  of  affairs,  co-operated  under  God's 
providence  to  effect  this. 

The  smallpox  of  1870  decimated  their  ranks  and  sowed  misfortune  in  the  family. 
Soon,  too,  buffaloes  began  to  grow  scarce  and  all  of  a  sudden  they  disappeared,  to 
the  great  consternation  of  the  Indians,  who  believed  that  they  would  always  have  the 
buffalo  with  them  as  long  as  there  was  grass  on  the  prairie  and  water  flowing  in  the 
streams.  Then,  too,  immigration  had  set  in  on  all  sides,  and  the  new  colonists  were  set 
tling  all  around.  To  avoid  the  conflicts  which  would  not  be  wanting  between  these 
newcomers  and  the  aboriginal  tribes,  the  Government  then  decided  to  make  treaties  with 
the  Indians  on  the  condition  that  they  should  yield  up  their  lands  and  be  content  to  be 
confined  to  certain  marked  out  "Reserves." 

In  1877  the  Half-breed  issue  of  the  Canadian  Piche  and  the  chief's  daughter  be 
came  in  his  turn  chief  of  the  band.  One  was  named  Ermine  Skin  (Okosikowiyan) ,  and 
his  brother  "Bob-tail"  (Kiskayuw).  The  latter  was  the  leader  of  another  band  who 
lived  side  by  side  with  that  of  the  former.  Both  "Ermine  Skin"  and  "Bob-tail"  ac 
cepted  the  treaty.  In  consequence  of  a  dream  m  which  "Ermine  Skin"  saw  a  priest, 
cross  in  hand,  pointing  out  a  wooded  hillside  to  him,  recognized  in  this  the  "Bear  Hill" 
and  he  chose  the  site  for  his  Reserve  and  came  to  settle  there.  The  Mission  at  first  was 
then  known  as  the  "Bear  Hill  Mission." 

&l  In   1881    the  Rev.   Fr.  Touze  and  the  Rev.  H.   Beillevaire  came  to  visit  these  In 

dians  and  to  choose  a  place  for  the  Mission  which  afterwards  Bishop  Grandin,  on  his 
coming  there  in  the  following  summer,  entrusted  to  the  care  of  the  Rev.  H.  Beillevaire. 
The  latter  hastily  built  a  poor  hut,  a  portion  only  of  which  was  covered  with  pine  bark. 
He  could  not  pass  the  winter  there  under  these  conditions,  and  at  the  end  of  the  fall  he 
went  to  the  "Laboucane"  settlement,  the  Duhamel  of  today.  The  following  spring  he 
returned  to  Bear  Hill  and  visited  both  Missions  in  rotation. 

In  November,  1  884,  a  new  attempt  was  made  by  Fathers  Gabillon  and  Scollen 
to  fix  the  site  of  the  Mission.  After  having  taken  the  precaution  of  having  the  place 
determined  by  the  chief  himself,  who  had  informed  the  agent,  Mr.  Lucas,  they  settled 
on  a  spot  not  far  from  the  Agency,  built  a  little  hut  and  were  passing  the  winter  there. 

But  in  spite  of  these  precautions  the  spirit  of  opposition  and  meanness  prevailed  in 
forcing  them  to  betake  themselves  three  miles  further  up  the  Battle  River.  There  they 
built  a  house  and  found  themselves  on  "Bob-tail's"  Reserve. 

The  Mission  of  Our  Lady  of  Seven  Dolors  had  already  experienced  its  trials.  It 
was  still  to  undergo  further  trouble.  It  was  necessary  again  to  move  elsewhere  and  while 
still  maintaining  their  foothold  on  "Bob-tail's"  land  the  Rev.  Fr.  Merer  and  Rev.  hr. 
Gabillon  went  this  same  summer  of  1885,  seven  miles  to  the  north,  on  to  "Ermine  Skin's" 
Reserve,  not  far  from  the  high  road  from  Calgary  to  Edmonton.  This  is  the  site  of 
the  present  Mission. 


64  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


The  Rev.  Fr.  Gabillon  was  now  left  alone  and  he  built  a  house-chapel  which  was 
more  suitable  than  the  preceding  ones,  measuring  14x28  feet,  but  still  very  unpre 
tentious.  None  the  less,  at  this  period,  it  was  considered  very  becoming  and  at  any  rate 
it  was  the  House  of  God  and  that  of  His  minister.  This  building  still  exists,  but  its 
purpose  is  not  as  dignified  as  of  old,  being  now  a  mere  outhouse  belonging  to  the  Mis 
sion. 

From  this  point  the  religious  instruction  of  the  Indians  commenced  in  a  continuous 
and  regular  manner.  At  the  same  time  an  attempt  was  made  to  train  them  to  habits  of 
labor,  and  to  teach  them  the  cultivation  of  their  fields  and  the  art  of  gardening. 

It  was  in  the  year  1887  that  the  first  school  was  started  in  the  missionary's  own 
house.  A  little  assistance  was  given  by  the  Government,  but  difficulties  arose  in  mak 
ing  the  Indians  understand  the  necessity  of  education  and  of  sending  their  children  to  be 
taught,  as  well  as  in  retaining  school  teachers  sufficiently  persevering  in  this  discouraging 
and  ungrateful  task. 

In  1891  the  C.  &  E.  railway  line  was  constructed  from  Calgary  to  Edmonton  and 
a  simple  flag  station  was  established  quite  near  the  Mission.  The  C.P.R.  company  was 
exploiting  this  line  and  their  President,  Sir  William  Van  Home,  himself  an  artist,  had 
given  the  names  of  great  painters  to  some  stations  along  the  line.  That  of  the  celebrated 
Dutch  artist,  Hobbema,  was  given  to  this  little  station  and  the  Mission,  which  up  to  this 
time,  had  been  known  as  "Bear  Hill,"  was  now  known  also  under  the  name  of  Hobbema. 

The  school,  begun  m  1  889,  had  been  continued  and  improved  with  a  school  house 
specially  set  aside  for  the  purpose.  But  above  the  school  lessons,  there  is  the  moral  and 
religious  training  to  consider.  This  can  not  be  obtained  when  the  attendance  is  very 
irregular  and  when  the  work  of  some  hours  in  the  class  room  is  destroyed  by  the  opposing 
influence  of  the  camp.  For  a  long  time  a  boarding  school  where  the  children  could  be 
kept  day  and  night  had  been  recognized  as  necessary  to  obtain  serious  and  lasting  results. 
The  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  had  entered  into  negotiations  with  the  community  of  the  Sisters 
of  the  Assumption,  of  Nicolet,  and  happily  succeeded.  This  excellent  order,  which 
had  been  engaged  with  such  great  success  in  the  education  of  the  young  in  civili/ed  coun 
tries,  was  willing  also  to  devote  itself  to  the  Christian  education  of  the  savage  races. 

The  30th  of  August,  1894,  was  a  great  occasion  full  of  promise  for  the  religious 
future  of  the  Reserve  when  the  first  Sisters  of  the  Assumption  arrived  at  Hobbema. 
They  were  three  in  number,  their  names  being  Rev.  Sister  St.  Stanislas,  Superioress; 
Sister  St.  Arsene,  assistant,  and  Sister  du  S.-Coeur  de  Marie,  teacher. 

The  day  of  their  arrival  Father  A.  Lacombe,  the  veteran  pioneer  of  the  Indian 
Missions  of  the  North  West,  was  then  with  other  missionaries  to  witness  the  dawn  of 
this  new  period  in  the  development  of  the  Hobbema  Mission.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Gabillon 
gave  his  own  house  to  the  Sisters  and  retired  to  the  loft  of  the  kitchen  until  the  new 
presbytery  could  be  constructed. 

The  present  church  was  then  in  process  of  being  built.  I  he  Oblate  lay  brothers, 
engaged  on  the  work,  pushed  on  the  operations  with  energy,  so  that  in  spite  of  the 
rigorous  cold  the  building  was  completed  for  the  Christmas  of  that  year,  1894,  and 
the  wonder-struck  Indians,  marvelling  at  the  size  of  this  pretty  church,  with  its  hand 
some  steeple,  prepared  for  their  own  benefit,  attended  in  great  numbers. 

Father  Gabillon,  who  had  so  long  been  under  the  strain  of  difficulties,  was  now- 
able  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  happier  days  and  of  more  consoling  success,  but  he  was  called 
by  obedience  to  work  in  the  neighboring  Diocese  and  his  place  was  filled  by  Rev.  Fr.  O. 
Perrault,  who  came  in  September,  1895. 

The  Sisters  had  not  been  able  to  start  their  boarding  school  from  the  moment  of 
their  arrival,  for  their  premises  were  too  small.  During  two  years  they  managed  as 
well  as  they  could  with  the  day  school,  but  the  moment  had  come  when  they  had  to 
build.  The  Government  gave  a  subsidy  of  $2,500.  The  Sisters  solicited  the  charity 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 

of  the  public  and  then  contracted  a  somewhat  considerable  debt,  but  on  the  first  of  May, 
1987     work    on    the    present    spacious    building    was    commenced,    being    located    close 
to  the  former  school.     This  new  building  measured  40  x  50   feet,  in  three  floors 
authorized  to  take  in  fifty  children,    for  whom  the  Government  would  pay   the  ordinary 
annual   grant.      Soon   after   the   school   had   been   opened   this   number   was    reach 
very  short  time  and  even  surpassed. 

The   Rev     Fr     Perrault  was   a   zealous   missionary   who   employed   himself    actively 
with  his  Reserve,  his  school   and  his   Indians.      The  latter  quickly   gave  him   their  confi 
dence       But  illness  attacked  him    from  the  year    1896.      Father   Dubois  came   for   some 
time   to  his   assistance,    then   afterwards   Rev.    Fr.    Lizee   was   sent   to   take   charge 
Mission. 

In  1898  Father  Perrault,  now  a  little  better  in  health,  came  again  to  take  up  his 
post  and  he  was  assisted  by  Rev.  Fr.  Simonm.  But  soon  the  malady  overcame  him 
again  and  in  October  1899  he  left  to  see  if  he  could  recover  his  health  in  milder  climate! 
He  passed  the  winter  in  Texas.  In  the  spring  he  went  up  to  Colorado.  But  his  illusions 
vanished  and  his  only  desire  now  was  to  return  to  die  among  his  Indians.  r  made 
the  journey  back  with  painfulness  and  by  short  stages,  arriving  at  last  as  tar  as  L,al- 
gary  where  he  died  on  the  8th  of  December,  1900.  Thus  it  was  only  his  body  that 
was  brought  some  days  later  to  repose  in  the  humble  cemetery  of  the  Mission.  During 
his  sojourn  at  the  M.ssion,  in  spite  of  his  feeble  health,  the  Rev  Father  Perrault  had 
done  much  good.  He  never  spared  himself.  In  sickness  or  in  health  he  often  visited 
his  Indians,  even  when  they  were  at  a  distance,  and  thus  he  brought  many  of  the  Indians, 
on  "Bob-tail's"  Reserve,  back  to  their  Christian  practices,  when  they  had  fallen  aw 
from  their  duty. 

The  Rev.   Fr.   Simonin,  who  had  remained  in  charge  of  the  Mission   after  the  de 
parture  of  Rev.  Fr.  Perrault,  was  replaced  by  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin,  under  whom  the  work 
continued  to  develop.      The  buildings  were  finished  and  the  presbytery  was  enlarged  and 
decorated    in    1903.      The    school    was    also   provided    with    new    buildings;    a    s 
laundry;  cistern  and  artesian  wells  in    1906. 

The  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin  was  seconded  in  his  efforts  to  a  certain  degree  by  his  as 
sistants,  at  first  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Portier,  and  later,  ,n  1901,  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  C.  Vanden- 
daele. 

In    1907   there  was  a  new  change  in  the  staff.      The   Rev.    Fr.    Moulin,   who  had 
arrived  here  nearly  three  years  previously,   replaced   Fr.    Dauphin    for   a  time     and   since 
Father   Dauphin  left   for  Cold  Lake  Mission  has  remained  in  charge  of  the  Mission  , 
Hobbema.     This  institution  is  now  on  an  excellent  footing.      The  staff  has  been  increase, 
and  about  sixty-five  pupils  are  at  present,    1914,  admitted.      The  Rev.  Sister  Superioress 
St.  Jean  Baptiste  has  nine  Sisters  with  her  to  bestow  on  their  young  charges,   boys 
girls,   all   the  solicitude  that   a   truly   maternal   devotion   can   inspire. 

The  children   are    fond   of   their   school,    finding   there   both   useful    and   pleasurable 
occupations    combined.      A   mandolin    orchestra    has   been    organized    for    the    girls,    whc 
astonish  all   those  who  hear  them  by  their  skill  on  this  instrument.      The  boys,   likewise, 
have   a   brass  band   and   all    this   gives   their   little    family   entertainments   much    ami 
and  brilliancy. 

The   graceful    group   of   the   well    arranged   buildings   of    the    Mission   of    Hobbema 
stand  out  surrounded  by  the  background  of  verdure  of  the  protecting  hills  at  whc 
it  nestles. 

To   the  west   it   presents   a   most   charming  effect,    seen    from   the   railway    line     and 
travellers   are  quite  surprised   to  learn   that  this  is   a   Mission    for   the  benefit   of   Indians. 
Many  civilized  people  would  be  glad  enough  to  have  an  institution  of  this  kind 
education   of   their   own   children. 


66  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


6.— THE  MISSION  OF  ST.  JOHN  THE  EVANGELIST.  STONEY  PLAIN. 

The  Mission  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist  at  Stoney  Plain  is  situated  on  an  Indian 
Reserve  about  nine  miles  west  of  Edmonton.  Formerly,  it  appears  that  this  district  was 
a  particularly  choice  hunting  ground  of  an  Assiniboine  tribe  (Assinipwatak) ,  in  English 
Moneys,  a  branch  of  the  Sioux  nation,  which  inhabited  the  lower  slopes  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  Later  on  a  Reserve  was  marked  out  for  them.  This  part  of  the  country 
was  also  known  under  the  name  of  "Maskigesik,"  because  of  the  great  Maskeg  or 
Savanna  that  is  still  seen. 

Until  1887  there  had  been  no  resident  priest,  but  the  Indian  band  established  there 
was  regularly  visited  by  the  missionaries  of  St.  Albert  and  Edmonton. 

In    1885  the  Rev.   Fr.  Remas  was  in  charge  of  this  duty.      He  would  have  wished 

3  reside   there  and  construct   a   house,   seeing  that   he    found   so   many   inconveniences   in 

living  in  an  Indian  s  house.      Later,  Father  Grandin  took  up  the  work.      He  had  besides 

many    opportunities    of    seeing    them    at    Edmonton,    whither    they    went    to    obtain    their 

rations. 

In  1  887  the  Rev.  Father  Tissier  was  appointed  to  organize  this  parish  and  to  es 
tablish  it  in  a  permanent  manner.  At  this  time  it  was  designed  to  have  a  school  for  the 
Indian  children,  but  it  was  difficult  for  the  missionary  to  keep  a  school  regularly  as  he 

KY/°u-V1SAYn0t,0nTly,thlS  ,Reserve'  but  also  that  of  Alexis  at  Lake  St.   Anne,   and  that 
of    White   Whale   Lake    (Wapasakahiganik). 

However,  during  the  winter  of  this  year  Rev.  Fr.  Tissier  attempted  to  hold  a 
school  in  a  wretched  hovel  which  allowed  the  daylight  to  penetrate  its  covering  and 
which  could  not  be  heated  without  being  filled  with  smoke. 

In  the  spring  of  the   following  year,    1888,  a  house-chapel  was  built  and  other  ar 
rangements  made.      Mr.   Thomas   Ridsdale   was  engaged   as   the  school   master  with   the 
condition  of  performing  other  services  of  a  hired  man    for  the  Rev.    Father  Missionary 
outs.de  the  class  hours.      This  arrangement  did  not  last  very  long  and  other  combination 
were  attempted.      The  Mission  of  Stoney   Plain,   as  all   the  other  works  of  this  nature 
had  to  pass  through  its  period  of  difficulties  and   trials. 

An  Agency  had  been  established  at  Stoney  Plain  and  the  Count  de  Cazes  named 
agent. 

Rev.  Fr.  Tissier  remained  in  charge  of  this  Mission  till  towards  the  end  of  1891 
when  he  was  recalled  to  another  field  of  labor,  being  replaced  by  the  Rev  Fr  Oscar  Per' 
rault  on  the  29th  of  November  of  this  same  year.  This  latter  Father  had  only  ar 
rived  a  few  months  before  in  the  Diocese  and  he  had  to  learn  their  language  before 
obtaining  any  appreciable  influence  over  the  Indians.  But,  nevertheless,  in  a  short  time 
he  was  already  well  on  the  way  towards  gaining  their  esteem. 

In    1895    Fr     Perrault  was   replaced  by   Fr.    Remas,   who   remained    for  two  years 

in  charge  of  this  Mission.      Later,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Simonin  succeeded  to  Fr.   Remas  on  the 

xasion  of  the  latter  having  to  go  to  Montreal  to  have  his  eyesight  attended  to      At  thi<= 

time  a   little  group  of  Catholics  had  settled   on   the  outskirts  of  the   Reserve,   who   were 

sufficiently    numerous    for    a    small    church    of    their    own.       Fr.    Simonin    undertook    the 

building   of  such   a   one   and   this   is   now   the   Mission    of  St.    Joseph    at   Spruce   Grove. 

?  we  find  the  Rev.  Fr.Lizee  in  charge  of  the  Mission.      He,  however    did 

He  came  in  January  and  was  replaced  in  the  month  of  October  by 

the  Rev.   Fr.   Vegreville. 

The  Rev.  Fr.  Beaudry,  a  native  of  the  Diocese  and  belonging  to  the  Half-breed 
race,  had  arrived  a  year  before.  The  Cree  language  was  his  mother's  tongue,  and  to 
him  was  entrusted  at  once  the  task  of  visiting  the  different  Cree  Missions  and  of  preach 
ing  retreats  there  until  he  finished  his  tour  in  1903.  He  was  then  senl  to  Stoney  Plain 
to  reside  with  Fr.  Vegrev.lle,  whose  occupation  now  lay  especially  with  the  White 
population  which  was  beginning  to  invade  this  part  of  the  country. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  67 


But  as  the  Rev.  Father  Beaudry  had  in  the  course  of  the  summer  to  make  a 
somewhat  long  journey  on  a  visit  to  another  band  of  Indians,  the  Crees  and  Iroquois, 
who  dwell  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Jasper,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Tissier  was  again  sent  to 
the  Mission  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist  to  take  his  place. 

On  the  return  of  Fr.  Beaudry,  as  it  had  been  decided  that  he  should  remain  at 
St.  Albert,  with  the  duty  of  visiting  the  new  Mission  of  Athabasca  from  time  to  time, 
the  Rev.  Fr.  1  issier  was  again  placed  in  charge  of  the  Mission  until  1906.  After  a 
short  absence,  during  which  he  was  replaced  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Portiei  (May,  1906), 
and  the  Rev.  Fr.  Ernest  Lacombe  (May,  1907)  Fr.  Tissier  returned  a  third  time  to 
take  charge  of  the  Mission  at  Stoney  Plain  in  the  month  of  December,  1907.  He  is 
still  at  his  post  and  in  spite  of  his  advancing  age  and  his  long  term  of  service,  which 
would  entitle  him  to  ask  for  well  merited  rest,  he  is  still  full  of  courage  and  energy.  He 
still  expends  himself  for  the  good  of  his  Indians  who  can  not  but  bear  witness  to  his 
ever  ardent  zeal.  Fr.  Tissier,  moreover,  is  alone  at  this  post,  and  while  attending  to  the 
needs  of  the  Mission  of  St.  John  the  Evangelist  has  also  the  care  of  the  Mission  of  St. 
Joseph. 

7.— ST.    MATHIAS.— GOOD    FISH    LAKE. 

Thirty  miles  north  of  the  Saddle  Lake  Reserve,  on  the  road  to  Lake  La  Biche,  there 
is  another  Indian  Reserve  along  White  Fish  and  Good  Fish  Lakes.  A  Protestant  mis 
sion  had  been  established  there  for  a  long  time  and  many  of  the  Cree  Indian  Catho 
lics  dwelling  on  the  southern  part  of  this  Reserve  were  in  danger  of  being  more  or  less 
influenced  by  this  neighboring  Protestantism.  On  one  of  his  journeys  to  Lake  La  Biche, 
Bishop  Grandin  encamped  here  and  celebrated  Holy  Mass  there  in  the  little  hut  of 
an  Indian  Catholic.  He  grieved  to  see  the  danger  to  which  these  Catholic  Indians  were 
exposed  and  he  promised  that  if  it  were  possible  for  him  to  found  a  mission  in  this  place, 
he  would  dedicate  it  to  St.  Mathias,  whose  feast  occurred  that  very  day. 

This  desire  could  not  be  realized  until  twenty  years  later.  Then,  at  last,  in  1900 
it  was  resolved  to  settle  a  permanent  establishment  in  this  place  and  the  Rev.  Fr.  H. 
Grandin,  then  residing  at  Saddle  Lake,  was  entrusted  with  the  enterprise.  Opposition 
was  put  in  his  way  and  he  had  to  wait.  Chief  Pakan,  though  less  intractable,  was 
hardly  favorable  to  the  Catholics,  yet  this  time  others  were  put  forward.  In  spite  of  these 
obstacles  the  work  was  pushed  with  energy  and  on  December  2nd,  1900,  Bishop  Legal, 
then  Bishop  Grandin's  coadjutor,  had  the  consolation  of  solemnly  blessing  the  pretty 
little  church  of  St.  Mathias,  built  in  a  charming  position  on  the  bank  of  the  lake.  The 
aged  Bishop  of  St.  Albert,  Bishop  Grandin,  although  incapable  of  taking  part  in  this 
festivity,  was  nevertheless  greatly  rejoiced. 

On  this  occasion  also  there  was  the  solemn  blessing  of  a  fine  bell  destined  for  the 
steeple  of  this  new  church.  However,  even  after  the  building  of  the  church  the  mission 
had  not  yet  a  resident  priest.  It  was  visited  as  before  from  Saddle  Lake  by  the 
Rev.  Frs.  Grandin,  Comire  and  Baiter,  but  in  October,  1 90 1 ,  the  Rev.  W.  Comire 
came  to  settle  there,  and  to  assist  him  he  had  Rev.  Brother  F.  Barasse,  who  assumed  a 
multiplicity  of  offices. 

ST.  NAZAIRE. 

About  fifteen  miles  in  a  south-easterly  direction  from  Lake  La  Biche  there  is  a 
group  of  Cree  Indians  dwelling  on  the  margins  of  Beaver  Lake.  The  duty  of  visiting 
this  band,  composed  entirely  of  good  Catholics,  was  entrusted  to  Rev.  Fr.  Comire.  In 
1905,  with  the  active  co-operation  of  these  good  Indians,  he  found  it  possible  to  build 
them  an  excellent  church  of  hewn  logs  and  sufficiently  large  for  the  population,  with  the 
addition  of  a  room  for  the  priest's  dwelling.  The  little  church  is  even  surmounted  by  a 


68  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


neat  steeple.  The  position  is  well  chosen  on  the  shore  of  a  very  picturesque  lake,  with 
its  wooded  forelands  jutting  out  far  and  boldly  into  its  waters.  On  September  1  I  th  of 
the  year,  1905,  the  new  church  was  solemnly  blessed  by  His  Lordship,  Bishop  Le-al 
who  was  accompanied  for  this  circumstance  by  the  Rev.  Father  Nazaire  Dozois  "the 
official  visitor  of  the  missionaries  of  the  Oblates  of  Mary  Immaculate.  The  name  given 
to  the  mission  happened  to  be  that  of  St.  Nazaire. 

One  of  the  Indians,  a  bright  and  intelligent  fellow,  made  a  witty  request  of  the  Rev 
hr.  Dozois,  suggesting  to  him  that  it  would  be  very  appropriate  if  the  little  empty  belfry 
d  receive  its  natural  complement  and  there  should  be  a  bell  to  awaken  the  neigh 
boring  echoes  with  the  name  of  Nazaire.  Was  his  request  successful?  This  at  least 
we  may  say,  that  in  the  October  of  1907,  a  handsome  bell,  weighing  300  pounds  was 
blessed  by  Rev.  Father  A.  Therien,  who  had  been  delegated  for  the  purpose  by  the 
Bishop  of  St.  Albert. 

The  total  population  of  Indians  of  Good  Fish  Lake  and  Beaver  Lake  comprises 
Catholics.  In  addition  there  are  about  50  other  Catholics,  Indians  or  Half- 
breeds,  who  frequent  the  Mission  of  St.  Nazaire  at  Beaver  Lake,  while  coming  from 
Mosquito  Lake  and  I  rout  Lake.  Up  to  the  present  time  the  Beaver  Lake  Indians  have 

exclusively  by  hunting  and  fishing,  but  the  time  is  doubtless  not  far  distant  when 
they  will  be  obliged  to  adopt  another  mode  of  life,  as  has  already  been  done  by  the 
Indians  of  Good  Fish  Lake. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


69 


CHAPTER  III. 


HALF-BREED  MISSIONS 


The  Missions  of  Lake  St.  Anne,  Lake  La  Biche  and  even  St.  Albert,  of  which 
we  have  spoken  in  the  first  chapter,  were  originally  especially  established  for  the  needs 
of  the  Half-breeds,  who  then  composed  the  greater  part  of  the  population.  Two  others 
of  the  same  nature  remain  to  be  mentioned:  St.  Thomas,  at  Duhamel,  and  St.  Paul 
des  Metis. 

1.— ST.    THOMAS.— DUHAMEL. 

The  Mission  is  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Battle  River,  about  twenty  miles  east 
of  Wetaskiwin.  Its  origin  dates  back  to  1881.  In  the  month  of  May  of  that  year, 
the  Rev.  Father  H.  Beillevaire,  who  was  then  residing  at  "Bear  Hill,"  the  Hobbema 
of  today,  came  in  company  with  two  Indians,  one  of  whom  was  the  old  man  "Papa- 
kines,"  or  the  "Grasshopper,"  to  visit  some  Half-breed  families  established  in  this 
spot.'  Among  others  those  of  the  Salois  and  Laboucane  families.  These  last,  three  in 
number,  had  given  the  place  the  name  of  the  Laboucane  Settlement. 

The  banks  of  the  Battle  River  at  this  place  are  rather  high  and  steep.  On  the 
north  they  are  completely  bare,  but  on  the  south,  on  the  contrary,  they  are  still  covered 
with  timber.  Today  there  can  still  be  seen  numerous  excavations  which  served  as  m- 
trenchments,  for  this  was  the  frontier  line  separating  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Crees 
from  those  of  the  fierce  Blackfeet,  and  here  in  the  neighborhood  there  had  taken  place 
frequent  encounters  between  these  rival  races,  which  doubtless  gave  its  name  to  the  Battle 
River,  which  it  has  since  preserved. 

After  having  visited  the  Battle  River  Settlement  a  certain  number  of  times  in  the 
course  of  the  year,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Beillevaire  came  to  settle  down  for  the  winter  here.  At 
the  Bear  Hill  Mission  he  had  only  a  cabin  covered  with  pine  bark  and  exposed  to  the 
winds,  and  he  could  expect  here  better  quarters.  The  little  house,  20  x  1 8  feet, 
placed  at  his  disposal,  was,  however,  hardly  any  better.  It  was  made  of  upright  logs 
and  also  covered  with  pine  bark,  with  the  addition  of  a  chimney  made  Indian  fashion  of 
stones  and  mud.  Besides,  there  was  a  little  iron  stove.  But  the  good  Father  could 
count  upon  the  Half-breeds  settling  in  the  vicinity,  for  the  favor  of  these  little  personal 
services  which  he  had  not  been  able  to  have  at  Bear  Hill. 

He  divided  his  little  dwelling  into  two  parts  by  means  of  large  curtains,  which,  on 
Sundays  he  had  only  to  draw  aside  and  the  whole  was  transformed  into  a  chapel.  After 
having  stayed  at  Bear  Hill  during  the  next  summer,  the  missionary  returned  once  more 
to  Battle  River  in  the  autumn  of  1882  to  take  up  his  abode  for  the  winter  as  he  had 
done  the  previous  year. 

In  1883  ten  Half-breed  families  came  to  settle  in  the  vicinity  and  it  became  neces 
sary  to  build  a  chapel.  With  the  scanty  means  at  command  this  was  no  easy  matter. 
A  little  land  was  bought  for  twenty  dollars  and  in  the  meantime  a  little  house  was  built 
on  it  for  the  priest,  in  the  same  style  as  before,  and  although  this  missionary  is  far  from 
being  of  colossal  stature,  still  the  house  was  so  low  that  he  had  to  bow  his  head  down  to 
make  his  way  into  his  dwelling.  Mass  was  said  on  Sundays  at  Mr.  Elzear  Laboucane  s 


70  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


house  which  was  fairly  large  and  suitable.  In  the  course  of  the  summer  the  wood  for 
the  church  building  was  cut  in  the  neighboring  spruce  groves  and  on  the  day  following 
the  heast  of  All  Saints,  1883,  the  building  was  begun  and  could  be  used  for  the  festi 
val  of  Christmas.  In  the  place  of  mortar,  moss  was  used  to  fill  up  the  chinks  left  be 
tween  the  pieces  of  wood.  In  consequence  the  building  was  far  from  being  warm.  They 
had,  however,  an  old  stove  which  came  from  the  "old  chapel"  formerly  built  within  the 
enclosure  of  Fort  Edmonton. 

On  the  14th  of  May,  1884,  the  Half-breed  settlement  was  visited  for  the  first 
time  by  the  Right  Reverend  Bishop,  Mgr.  Grandin,  accompanied  by  his  nephew, 
the  Rev.  Fr.  [.  Grandin,  and  the  Rev.  Fr.  Blanchet.  They  were  contented  with  the 
meagre  hospitality  that  the  poor  missionary  could  offer  in  his  humble  cabin.  His  Lord 
ship  administered  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  to  several  persons  and  the  new  church 
had  even  to  be  turned  into  a  banquet  hall  to  entertain  all  those  who  had  gathered  from 
the  neighborhood.  During  the  summer  the  missionary's  house  let  in  water  on  all  sides 
and  it  was,  moreover,  infested  with  snakes  in  such  sort  that  the  missionary  had  to  find 
refuge  elsewhere. 

About  this  time,  on  the  occasion  of  a  visit  to  the  east,  Bishop  Grandin  offered  His 
Grace,  the  Archbishop  of  Ottawa,  to  call  this  Half-breed  parish  after  his  name,  to 
which  His  Grace  willingly  acceded,  and  it  was  thenceforth  known  under  the  name  of 
St.  Thomas  Duhamel.  Some  years  later,  in  1892,  Archbishop  Duhamel,  on  a  journey 
to  St.  Albert,  remembered  the  little  parish  that  bore  his  name.  He  promised  to  make  it 
a  present  of  a  bell,  which  he  was  not  long  in  sending,  blessed  beforehand  and  ready  for 
use  to  call  the  faithful  to  prayer. 

In  the  year  1883,  to  avoid  discussions  and  quarrels,  the  Government  decided  to 
make  a  survey  of  the  land  with  the  purpose  of  determining  the  respective  possessions  of 
the  Half-breeds,  so  as  not  to  force  them  to  annoying  removals.  The  plan  of  river  lots 
was  adopted,  and  the  surveyor  engaged  on  the  work  was  Mr.  Pare.  After  this  land 
survey,  other  Half-breeds  came  to  settle  on  either  bank  of  the  river.  Their  principle 
occupation  up  to  this  period  had  been  the  transport  of  merchandise  belonging  to  the  Hud 
son's  Bay  Company  as  far  as  Edmonton,  at  first  from  Swift  Current  and  afterwards 
from  Calgary.  They  owned  a  good  number  of  horses  and  oxen. 

In  1887  the  missionary  built  a  dwelling  house  close  to  the  church  and  a  little  later, 
in  1900,  there  was  added  to  it  a  school  for  the  instruction  of  the  children  who  were  now 
becoming  numerous.  The  first  teacher  was  a  Half-breed,  Ambroise  Gray,  who  was 
duly  certificated. 

But  now  the  immigrants  began  to  arrive.  The  railroad  between  Calgary  and  Ed 
monton  had  been  completed  in  1902  and  thus  offered  facilities  for  the  arrival  of  new 
colonists.  From  that  time,  too,  the  work  of  transporting  goods  by  road  ceased  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  Half-breeds  thus  found  themselves  without  the  means  of  subsistence. 
They  contracted  debts  and  many  were  obliged  to  sell  their  lands  and  go  elsewhere.  The 
buyers  were  white  men,  and  thus  the  present  population  is  a  very  mixed  one  of  different 
nationalities,  such  as  Canadians,  Belgians,  Irish,  Scotch,  Germans  and  Austrians. 

In  1903,  the  postoffice,  which  had  been  long  asked  for,  was  opened.  Its  first 
postmaster  was  Mr.  Adam,  a  recent  arrival  from  Belgium,  who  had  started  a  store  near 
the  bridge  over  the  river.  This  gentleman  contributed  to  the  decoration  of  the  church 
which  was  very  bare  and  poor.  He  furnished  the  lumber  for  the  roof  vault  which  was 
placed  in  position  by  the  two  Oblate  Brothers  Royer  and  Hays.  Another  good  parish 
ioner,  Mr.  David,  in  spite  of  his  ranch  being  twenty  miles  distant,  came  to  decorate  this 
vault  with  handsome  paintings.  The  visitor  on  entering  this  chapel  is  surprised  to  see 
these  decorations,  such  as  are  not  ordinarily  found  in  little  country  churches  of  this  size. 

,.  I895  the  C<  P'  R'  company  undertook  the  construction  of  a  railroad  from 
Wetaskiwm  to  the  east,  which  already  provides  direct  communication  with  Winni 
peg.  This  road  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  progress  of  the  country.  Many 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  71 


little  towns  are  being  formed  and  are  rapidly  developing  at  the  different  stations,  of 
which  Camrose  is  the  most  important.  Bittern  Lake,  which  is  only  nine  miles  distant 
from  Duhamel,  is  its  nearest  station.  Rev.  Fr.  Beillevaire,  the  young  missionary  of 
1881,  who  witnessed  the  first  beginnings  of  the  Mission  and  underwent  early  privations 
of  these  heroic  times,  is  as  yet  at  his  post,  a  little  aged,  it  is  true,  but  still  full  of  vigor 
and  affection  for  his  good  Half-breed  population.  Nevertheless,  he  is  now  obliged  to 
divide  his  time  and  besides  the  care  he  bestows  on  the  parishioners  of  Duhamel,  he  is 
forced  to  be  almost  constantly  travelling  to  visit  scattered  families  and  to  give  religious 
consolation  to  numerous  little  groups  of  Catholics  of  every  race,  Germans,  Bohemians, 
Gahcians,  etc.  But  everywhere  he  goes,  his  good  humor  and  his  open  hearted  kindli 
ness  of  disposition  secure  him  at  once  the  affection  and  confidence  of  all. 

2.—ST.  PAUL  DES  METIS. 

St.  Paul  des  Metis  is  a  Mission  with  a  special  character  of  its  own.  All  the  old 
missionaries  of  the  country  who  have  had  frequent  and  intimate  relations  with  the  Metis 
or  Half-breeds  remained  extremely  devoted  to  them.  It  is  with  sorrow  they  have  to 
record  that  the  coming  of  European  civilization  has  been,  from  more  than  one  point  of  view, 
fatal  to  the  Half-breeds.  These  simple  and  upright  people  are  at  the  same  time  very 
helpless  in  the  face  of  the  seductions  and  temptations  of  all  kinds  to  which  they  are  ex 
posed.  The  neighborhood  of  towns  is  especially  harmful  to  them  on  account  of  the 
manifold  occasions  they  afford  them  of  yielding  to  their  weakness  for  intoxicating  liquors, 
and  drunkenness  brings  in  its  train  numberless  evils. 

Father  Lacombe  caused  the  Federal  Government  to  realize  that  this  situation  de 
manded  a  special  remedy.  He  had  conceived  the  plan  of  withdrawing  his  beloved 
Half-breed  population  from  these  pernicious  influences  of  vice,  not  indeed  by  force,  but 
solely  by  persuasion,  of  gathering  them  together,  far  away  from  the  White  men  and 
of  placing  them  under  the  paternal  direction  of  their  priests,  and  in  a  colony  of  their 
own;  to  train  them  to  regular  work  and  industry  by  means  of  which  there  could  come 
from  this  colony  some  good  and  consoling  results,  such  as  had  been  brought  about  in  the 
reductions  of  Paraguay,  under  the  direction  of  the  Jesuits. 

The  colony  lands  should  still  belong  to  the  Government.  They  should  be  let  to 
a  syndicate  which  would  direct  the  enterprise,  and,  by  this  body,  be  sub-let  to  the  Half- 
breeds  at  a  nominal  price,  in  lots  of  eighty  acres  for  each  family,  and  the  Half-breeds 
could  not  alienate  these  lands. 

In  unfolding  this  plan  to  the  Government,  the  good  Father  Lacombe  put  his  whole 
heart,  that  of  an  ardent  patriot  and  zealous  apostle,  and  his  words  carried  persuasion 
among  official  circles.  A  carefully  thought  out  scheme  presented  by  Mr.  A.  M.  Bur 
gess,  Deputy  Minister  of  the  Interior,  received  the  sanction  of  the  Governor-General  in 
Council  and  realized  the  hopes  and  desires  of  Father  Lacombe. 

Four  townships,  i.e.  a  space  of  twelve  miles  square,  about  140  sections  (for  one 
of  the  townships  is  a  little  cut  into  by  the  Lake  La  Selle  Reserve),  were  granted  for 
twenty-one  years  to  a  syndicate  composed  of  the  Episcopal  Corporations  of  St.  Albert, 
St.  Boniface,  Prince  Albert,  Father  Lacombe  and  two  laymen,  Hon.  Judge  Ouimet  and 
the  Hon.  Senator  R.  Dandurand,  for  the  realization  of  what  was  called,  the  "Redemp 
tion  of  the  Half-breeds." 

In  the  month  of  May  or  June,  1896,  the  Government  sent  a  surveyor  to  subdivide 
this  Reserve,  comprising  townships  57  and  58  of  both  ranges  9  and  10,  west  of  the 
4th  Meridian. 

On  the  8th  of  July  of  the  same  year,  Bishop  Grandin,  on  the  request  of  Father 
Lacombe,  appointed  the  Rev.  Father  A.  Therien  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  colony. 
Fr.  Therien  went  by  land  while  Brother  Nemoz  and  Frederic  Durocher  proceeded  down 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


the  river  in  charge  of  a  great  quantity  of  materials  for  building  purposes.  On  the  15th 
of  July  Fr.  Therien  arrived  in  company  with  Rev.  Fathers  L.  Le  Goff  and  Comire. 
The  Rev.  Fr.  Morin  had  visited  this  part  of  the  country  and  had  advised  the  choice  of 
this  place,  but  the  Rev.  Fr.  Therien  located  the  site  for  the  future  mission  at  some 
distance  north  of  Egg  Lake  (Lac  des  Oeufs).  There  were  already  a  small  number  of 
Half-breeds  established  here  on  the  arrival  of  the  Father,  and  others  soon  came  to  in 
crease  it.  Father  I  herien  and  his  helper  lived  in  tents  until  the  first  house  was  ready, 
which  was  not  before  the  month  of  December.  The  winter  was  rather  severe,  and  as 
the  newcomers  had  no  other  resources  they  had  to  take  to  fishing  in  Moose  Lake  and  the 
surrounding  lakes  which  happily  furnished  them  with  fish  in  abundance. 

In  the  spring  of  1897,  they  hastened  to  sow  their  seed  and  many  Half-breeds  were 
engaged  in  wood  sawing  at  Lake  La  Biche  and  in  the  transfer  of  the  materials  of  this 
Mission  to  Lake  La  Selle,  where  it  had  been  decided,  at  the  request  of  the  Government, 
to  transfer  the  boarding  school.  Fortunately  the  harvest  of  1897  was  a  very  good 
one.  I  his  gave  encouragement  to  all  and  restored  their  confidence. 

The  flour  and  saw  mills  were  removed  from  Lake  La  Biche  to  the  settlement 
at  St.  Paul  des  Metis,  but  as  there  was  not  as  yet  any  building  to  receive  the  machinery 
it  was  necessary  to  work  them  in  the  open  air.  Brothers  Racette  and  Kowaltczek  were 
not  discouraged  by  this  and  the  Half-breeds  were  able  to  grind  their  own  grain  and 
they  had  sufficient  flour  for  the  winter.  During  the  year  1898  the  Half-breeds  were 
employed  in  transporting  the  material  for  building  purposes,  but  as  means  were  still 
wanting  they  were  unable  to  commence  building  this  year,  so  that  they  had  again  to  have 
recourse  to  fishing  and  hunting  for  their  support,  during  the  winter. 

The  population  was  by  this  time  fairly  numerous,  so  that  the  need  of  a  school  was 
already  felt.  From  the  beginning  in  1897  a  school  had  been  opened  by  the  devoted 
Brother  Petitdemange  and  was  well  and  numerously  attended.  But  it^  was  thought 
that  the  co-operation  of  a  religious  community  would  be  of  immense  advantage. 

Happily,  the  Rev.  Sisters  of  the  Assumption,  who  already  had  an  institution  at 
Onion  Lake,  responded  willingly  to  Bishop  Grandm's  appeal  and  the  first  four  Sisters 
with  Sister  Marie  Fmmanuel  at  their  head,  arrived  at  St.  Paul  on  the  14th  of  September, 
1 899. 

I  he  Mission  building  was  handed  over  to  them  by  the  Fathers  and  Brothers,  who 
thus  had  to  provide  themselves  with  another  house,  or  rather  shed,  25  x  30  feet,  which 
they  built  near  by.  The  Fathers  occupied  the  ground  floor,  while  the  room  above  served 
as  a  chapel  on  Sundays.  The  building  was  unfinished,  having  been  hastily  put  together. 
In  consequence  they  had  to  suffer  from  the  cold  during  the  course  of  the  winter.  The 
Brothers  took  possession  of  the  log  house  which  had,  up  to  this,  served  as  a  school. 

The  Sisters  had  undertaken  the  charge  of  a  day  school,  but  as  the  Half-breed 
population  had  increased  and  some  of  them  dwelt  at  so  great  a  distance  from  the  school 
that  their  children  could  not  come  every  day,  especially  in  winter  and  bad  weather,  it 
was  therefore  decided  to  erect  a  large  building  which  would  serve  the  purpose  of  a 
boarding  school  for  100  children  and  more. 

In  1900  the  Rev.  Fr.  Ch.  Charlebois,  who  had  arrived  from  Ottawa  to  take 
charge  of  the  finances  of  the  Mission,  laid  the  foundation  of  the  new  house  which  was 
to  measure  108  feet  in  length  by  36  feet  in  breadth,  with  side  wings,  two  stories  high 
while  the  central  block  had  three  stories.  Meanwhile  Rev.  Fr.  Therien  had  gone  to 
the  United  States,  to  Dakota  and  elsewhere,  to  visit  the  Halfbreeds,  to  preach  retreats 
to  them  and  to  acquaint  them  with  the  work  of  the  new  colony. 

The  harvest  of  the  year  1900  was  very  poor.  Luckily  many  of  the  Metis  had 
received  scrips  of  land  which  they  sold  to  procure  themselves  the  means  of  passing  the 
winter  and  waiting  for  better  times.  At  the  same  time  it  was  becoming  quite  evident 
that  this  work  for  the  Half-breeds  was  an  enormous  tax  on  the  congregation  of  the  Oblate 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  73 


Fathers,  who  were  obliged  to  employ  on  it  a  number  of  missionaries,  Fathers  and  Broth 
ers,  so  that  for  some  time  it  had  been  thought  desirable  to  entrust  this  important  work 
to  some  other  Religious  Congregation,  which  had  more  subjects  at  its  disposal  and 
less  work  to  provide  for  them.  Accordingly  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lacombe  was  commissioned 
to  see  if  the  "Salesians"  would  accept  the  undertaking.  For  this  purpose  he  crossed 
over  to  Europe.  He  was  unable  to  succeed  with  the  Salesians,  but  the  Premonstra- 
tensian  Fathers  of  the  Abbey  of  Grimbergen,  in  Belgium,  seemed  willing  to  entertain 
the  idea  of  a  mission  of  this  kind,  and  the  Rev.  Father  Van  Wetten  was  sent  on 
ahead  to  investigate  the  situation  and  to  report  on  it.  He  arrived  at  St.  Paul  on  the 
llth  of  January,  1901. 

In  the  month  of  March  of  this  year  the  Rev.  Fr.  Cunningham  preached  a  mission 
which  was  very  well  attended  and  did  much  good. 

At  this  time  a  great  trial  came  upon  the  colony  in  the  form  of  the  smallpox  which 
spread  over  the  country.  It  was  not  very  virulent,  but  it  took,  however,  a  good  number 
of  victims.  The  Reserve  and  even  the  Mission  were  put  in  quarantine.  No  one  suc 
cumbed  at  the  Mission,  but  on  the  Reserve  there  were  several  cases  of  death. 

On  the  12th  of  May  the  Rev.  Father  C.  Charlebois,  whom  the  Canadian  Pro 
vince  had  only  lent,  had  to  return  to  found  the  new  parish  of  the  Holy  Family  m^  the 
East  of  the  city  of  Ottawa.  A  little  later  on  the  20th  day  of  June,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Thenen 
had  also  to  leave  for  a  time.  His  Lordship,  Bishop  Grandin,  had  obtained  the  kind 
permission  of  the  Bishops  of  the  Civil  Province  of  Quebec,  and  of  the  Archbishop  of 
Ottawa,  to  solicit  the  charity  of  the  faithful  of  their  diocese  for  the  good  works  of 
the  Diocese  of  St.  Albert.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Therien  went  to  assist  in  this  collection  cam 
paign  and  the  Rev.  Fr.  Grandin,  Superior  of  the  Lake  La  Selle  district,  took  his  place. 
After  the  report  of  the  Rev.  Father  Van  Wetten,  the  Premonstratensian  Fathers 
of  Grimbergen,  considered  they  were  not  in  a  position  to  accept  the  direction  of  the  Half- 
breed  colony. 

Meanwhile  the  great  building  of  the  boarding  school  was  steadily  advancing,  but 
it  was  a  vast  enterprise.  It  had  also  been  decided  to  add  another  story  to  the  original 
plan  and  the  workmen  were  not  very  numerous.  Still,  Midnight  Mass  at  Christmas 
of  said  year,  1901,  was  celebrated  in  one  of  the  halls,  but  the  building  was  far  from 
being  completed. 

In  the  month  of  August  of  the  year  following,  1902,  at  the  opening  of  the  classes, 
while  the  teaching  took  place  in  the  old  school,  yet  the  boys  now  occupied  a  dormitory 
in  the  new  building,  and  a  class  room  was  also  utilized  in  it.  The  number  of  children 
at  this  time  was  70. 

During  the  year  the  Rev.  Fr.  Comire  came  to  lend  his  co-operation  to  the  work 
for  the  Half-breeds. 

At  last,  on  the  13th  of  April,  1903,  the  Sisters  were  able  to  take  possession  of  the 
new  building,  although  there  was  yet  much  work  to  be  done  on  it.  Sister  St.  Stamlsaus 
replaced  as  Superioress  the  Rev.  Sister  M.  Emmanuel,  who  was  recalled  to  Nicolet,  the 
Mother  house. 

The  new  church  was  built  in  1904,  as  the  great  school  hall  had  become  very 
insufficient  to  accommodate  the  whole  of  the  population  which  thronged  the  Sunday  ser 
vices.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  construct  a  rather  large  church  measuring  104  feet 
in  length  and  42  feet  in  breadth,  with  a  sacristy  42  x  22  feet.  It  was  commenced 
in  July  and  was  ready  to  be  opened  for  Christmas  Midnight  Mass  the  same  year,  and  in 
truth  the  population  had  every  reason  for  congratulating  themselves  on  the  possession  of 
a  fine  and  large  church  that  would  be  a  credit  to  a  parish  of  considerable  size. 

The  year  1905  commenced  by  a  great  trial  for  all  those  who  had  at  heart  the 
material  and  spiritual  progress  of  the  settlement.  In  the  night  of  January  15th  that 
magnificent  building  which  had  cost  so  much  toil  and  solicitude  and  which  had  scarcely 
been  finished,  became  in  a  few  hours  the  prey  of  flames.  In  spite  of  every  effort  nothing 


74  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


could  be  saved.  They  had  succeeded,  as  they  thought,  in  saving  the  lives  of  the 
children  and  their  mistresses,  when  at  the  roll  call  one  of  the  oldest  girls,  the  same  that 
had  been  the  first  to  get  out  to  give  the  alarm  to  the  Fathers,  failed  to  make  her  ap 
pearance.  Doubtless  she  had  been  anxious  to  save  something,  and  re-entering  the  burn 
ing  building  had  become  a  victim  to  the  flames.  Her  charred  body  was  found  a  little 
later  near  one  of  the  exits,  where  she  must  have  fallen  asphyxiated.  This  was  a  time 
of  great  sadness  and  discouragement  for  all.  The  children  dispersed  to  their  own 
homes,  as  well  as  the  Sisters,  nine  in  number.  Some  went  to  Hobbema  and  others  to 
Onion  Lake,  four  only,  remaining.  On  the  12th  of  September  of  this  year,  Bishop 
Legal,  accompanied  by  the  Rev.  Father  N.  Dozois,  official  visitor  of  the  Oblates,  came 
to  bless  the  new  church  and  to  administer  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation.  The  joy 
usually  customary,  at  an  event  of  this  kind,  was  overclouded  by  the  remembrance  of  the 
late  disaster,  and  the  sight  of  the  ruins  strewing  the  ground.  The  Rev.  Father  Therien 
had  also  fallen  sick  and  had  to  go  to  the  hospital,  and  the  Rev.  Fr.  Boulenc,  who  had 
already  for  so  long  given  his  labors  and  co-operation  to  the  work  for  the  Half-breeds, 
esoecially  in  the  mill  and  farm  undertakings,  remained  alone  at  his  task  until  January, 
1906,  when  he  was  joined  by  Rev.  Fr.  Simonin,  who  was  to  replace  Fr.  Therien.  The 
latter  had  left  for  Texas  in  the  December  preceding,  where  he  hoped  to  recover  his 
health. 

It  was  now  necessary  to  supply  new  premises  which  were  badly  needed.  The 
building  of  a  modest  school  house,  30  x  30  feet,  was  decided  upon,  as  well  as  another 
convent  for  the  home  of  the  Sisters,  but  of  considerably  smaller  size  than  the  former. 
The  new  convent  was  only  to  be  45  feet  long  and  40  feet  broad,  for  in  view  of  the 
scarcity  of  funds  the  idea  of  taking  boarders  had  been  renounced.  The  saw  mill  was 
transferred  to  the  forest  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  the  lumber  necessary  for  these 
buildings. 

In  the  summer  of  1908  affliction  dealt  its  blow  at  the  staff  of  the  Mission.  On 
June  20th  the  good,  devoted  Brother  A.  Nemoz  left  this  earth  for  a  better  world.  Ever 
since  the  burning  of  the  magnificent  building  he  had  never  been  the  same  man.  The 
sorrow  he  experienced  was  intense.  He  had  worked  so  much  in  its  construction  and 
he  had  taken  such  great  interest  in  its  growth!  The  blow  had  been  too  rough  for  him, 
and  he  began  to  decline  visibly.  He  can  be  said  to  have  been  another  victim  of  the 
catastrophe. 

In  September  the  new  school  house  was  finished  and  the  day  classes  were  immediate 
ly  opened,  being  regularly  attended  by  some  thirty  pupils.  At  this  time  the  surrounding 
country  had  already  begun  to  undergo  a  notable  transformation.  Since  the  month  of 
June  a  great  number  of  settlers  had  arrived  to  take  up  lands  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Reserve. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  there  were  already  twenty  homesteads  at  least  taken 
by  French  Canadians.  It  was  useless  to  attempt  to  discourage  this  tide  which  was 
about  to  be  still  further  increased.  It  was,  in  reality,  the  announcement  of  the  end  of 
the  work  for  the  Half-breeds,  at  all  events,  under  the  form  in  which  it  had  been  pro 
jected.  The  object  in  view  had  been  to  keep  the  Half-breeds  apart  from  the  Whites, 
but  this  was  becoming  henceforward  impossible  of  realization.  Finding  it  was  no  longe; 
possible  to  check  the  course  of  immigration,  it  was  resolved  to  further  it  by  bringing  p. 
select  class  of  excellent  colonists  to  occupy  the  magnificent  lands  extending  to  the  east 
and  the  north  of  the  settlement  as  far  as  Moose  Lake  and  the  valley  of  the  Beaver  river. 
The  Rev.  J.  A.  Ouellette,  parish  priest  of  Beaumont,  received,  therefore,  the  appoint 
ment  of  colonization  agent  for  the  Diocese  of  St.  Albert,  and  his  duty  was  to  exert  him 
self  to  send  the  new  comers  in  this  direction.  In  the  month  of  March,  1907,  the  Rev. 
Fr.  Simonin  was  himself  obliged  to  go  for  his  health  to  the  hospital  at  Edmonton.  He 
was  succeeded  in  May  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Therien,  who  had  been  left  in  charge  of  St. 
Joachim's  Edmonton,  but  being  unable,  by  the  state  of  his  health,  to  continue  to  occupy 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  75 


this  post  he  returned  to  St.  Paul.  It  now  became  part  of  the  Father's  duty  to  second 
the  Rev.  J.  A.  Ouillette  in  the  work  of  distributing  the  settlers  who  continued  to  come 
under  his  management.  By  the  end  of  1907  there  were  one  hundred  homesteads  taken 
up  north  of  the  settlement  at  Dog's  Rump  Lake,  where  the  nucleus  of  a  new  parish  had 
been  formed.  This  was  to  become  the  parish  of  St.  Vincent.  The  Rev.  M.  Bonny, 
a  French  priest,  who  had  been  a  missionary  in  Africa,  was  entrusted  with  the  charge 
of  this  parish.  He  constructed  a  presbytery  in  the  course  of  the  summer.  Other  colon 
ists  went  still  further  afield,  to  the  north-east  of  Moose  Lake.  This  will  form  the  parish 
of  St.  Louis,  and  already  about  sixty  homesteads  have  been  taken  up  there  before  the 
end  of  1907.  Rev.  Father  Bonny  was  sent  to  make  a  new  start  also,  at  that  point, 
which  was  to  be  called  Bonnyville. 

In  the  east  and  all  around  important  groups  are  being  formed.  St.  Paul  will  con 
tinue  to  be  the  central  point  whither  the  colonists  are  bound  to  make  their  way  before 
being  dispersed  in  all  the  surrounding  country.  This  is  necessarily  a  point  on  their  course, 
for  on  account  of  the  configuration  of  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan  river,  it  is  only 
possible  to  cross  the  river  on  the  south  of  the  settlement  at  Brosseau,  or  a  little  higher  in 
front  of  Saddle  Lake  Reserve.  At  these  two  spots  there  are  already  fine  ferry  boats 
which  provide  a  regular  transport  service.  Hence  for  some  time  it  had  been  felt  that  in 
the  very  near  future  it  would  become  necessary  to  open  out  the  four  townships  of  which 
the  Halfbreed  Reserve  is  formed,  to  the  stream  of  immigration,  and  to  allow  St.  Paul 
to  become  a  fine  Catholic  parish  open  to  all  comers. 

This  took  effect  in  the  course  of  the  year  1909.  The  Government  had  been  applied 
to  in  order  to  alter  the  conditions  of  the  Half-breed  colony,  and  to  allow  it  to  be  open 
for  homesteading.  Some  of  the  Half-breeds  had  already  left  to  profit  by  the  right 
given  to  them  to  take  homesteads.  Those  who  wanted  to  stay  on  the  Reserve,  were 
to  be  allowed  to  do  so,  and  the  full  and  unrestricted  title  to  their  eighty  acres  was  to  be 
given  to  them.  Then  they  would  be  in  a  position  even  to  sell  their  land,  if  they  wished. 
It  was  more  than  they  had  ever  been  promised.  The  rest  of  the  land  could  be  entered 
for  homesteading  by  any  other  on  the  usual  conditions. 

The  Episcopal  Corporation  of  St.  Albert,  however,  was  to  receive  a  free  grant 
of  four  sections,  as  a  compensation  for  the  heavy  expenses  that  had  been  mcured  for 
the  promoting  of  the  original  scheme,  and  these  four  sections  were  set  apart  for  them  off 
the  unoccupied  land  before  any  entry  could  be  made  by  outsiders. 

The  Episcopal  Corporation  of  St.  Albert  had  been,  in  reality,  the  only  one  con 
cerned  with  the  undertaking;  the  other  members  of  the  Syndicate  having  given  only  their 
name  and  moral  support  for  the  good  purpose,  so  that  they  willingly  assigned  all  their 
interests  in  it,  to  said  Corporation  to  enable  it  to  fully  deal  with  the  Government. 

The  Episcopal  Corporation  afterwards  transferred  two  of  these  four  lots  to  the 
Corporation  of  the  Oblate  Fathers  in  recognition  of  their  devoted  services  to  the  colony. 

Immediately  many  settlers  took  up  the  advantage  offered  to  them.  They  came 
and  located  on  all  the  vacant  lands.  The  village  of  St.  Paul  increased  in  number  and 
importance,  and  assumed  the  appearance  of  quite  a  large  town.  Besides,  several  centres 
of  new  parishes  began  also  to  organize  in  the  surrounding  country.  The  population  is 
almost  entirely  Catholic  and  the  church,  although  of  large  proportions,  is  much  too  small 
for  the  crowding  population. 

Rev.  Father  A.  Therien,  O.M.I.,  is  always  the  leading  spirit  of  the  whole  district 
and  is  endeavoring,  in  every  way,  to  promote  its  spiritual  and  material  interests.  A 
branch  railway  has  been  secured,  a  couple  of  years  ago,  to  pass  through  St.  Paul.  Work 
has  been  started  already,  and  although  there  have  been  delays,  yet  it  is  bound  to 
be  completed  before  long,  and  then  communication  will  be  made  easy  with  the  adjoining 
Province  of  Saskatchewan  and  a  splendid  tract  of  the  country  will  be  open  for 
colonization.  1914. 


76 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


I- — New  Galician  Settlement. 
2.— St.   Albert's  First  Cathedral. 
3. — Polish  Church,   Lake   Demay. 
4. — Archbishop    Legal,    Camping   out. 


5.— Saw  Mill   at  St.    Paul   des   Metis. 

6. — Ste  Emile  Church. 

7. — Our  Lady  of  Lourdes. 

8. — Mission  of  Lac  La  Biche. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


CHAPTER  IV. 


New  Parishes  or  Missions 


FRENCH  OR  MIXED 


1.— THE  PARISH  OF  NOTRE  DAME  DE  LOURDES. 
(P.  O.  LAMOUREUX). 

The  origin  of  the  Parish  of  Notre  Dame  de  Lourdes  dates  back  about  thirty  years. 
Towards  1874  or  1875,  Messrs.  Joseph  and  Francis  Lemoureux,  Baptiste  Beaupre  and 
James  Reid  established  themselves  on  the  north  side  of  the  Saskatchewan  river, 
opposite  the  present  town  of  Fort  Saskatchewan,  and  facing  the  point,  where, 
a  little  later,  the  North  West  Mounted  Police  placed  their  barracks.  A  little  colony 
was  founded  there  and  Mr.  Joseph  Lamoureux  went  down  to  the  Province  of  Quebec 
in  1875  to  bring  up  his  family  as  well  as  several  of  his  brothers,  among  whom  were 
Amable  and  Moise.  From  Winnipeg  they  had  to  travel  in  the  primitive  fashion  then 
customary,  in  carts  drawn  by  oxen,  and  their  trip  was  consequently  long  and  difficult, 
but  they  were  full  of  courage,  and  difficulties  did  not  affright  them.  Coming,  however, 
from  good  Catholic  parishes  in  the  Province  of  Quebec,  being  born  and  bred  under  the 
shadow  of  the  church's  steeple,  their  great  anxiety  was  lest  they  might  not  be  able  to 
have  the  consolation  of  their  Holy  Religion  administered  regularly  to  them. 

The  Saintly  Prelate,  Bishop  Grandin,  who  was  then  visiting  the  Diocese  of  St. 
Albert,  forestalled  their  request,  and  being  desirous  of  rewarding  them  for  the  sac 
rifices  they  had  made  and  the  courage  displayed  in  coming  to  these  lonely  parts,  he  pro 
vided  them  with  regular  religious  services.  These  were  undertaken  from  1875  by  the 
Oblate  Fathers  of  St.  Albert,  who  car-e  regularly  to  administer  the  Sacraments  and  to 
distribute  the  Bread  of  Life  to  make  compensation  for  the  want  of  material  comfort. 
From  1877  to  1891  several  Oblate  Fathers  followed  one  another  in  this  work  of  devot- 
edness,  among  whom  we  may  mention  the  Rev.  Fathers  Vegreville,  Brunei,  Merer, 
Blanchet,  R6mas,  Grandin  and  Therien,  who  were  always  hospitably  entertained  on 
their  visits  by  Mr.  J.  Lamoureux. 

In  1877  a  small  chapel  of  hewn  logs  was  commenced  by  Fr.  Blanchet,  and  on 
October  1  st  the  contract  to  finish  it  and  to  build  a  presbytery  was  taken  in  hand  ^by  Mr. 
Joseph  Lamoureux.  This  latter,  though  scarcely  completed,  served  as  the  priest's  house 
until  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  E.  Dorais  in  1891. 

From  this  moment  the  parish  began  to  be  organized.  The  Rev.  E.  Dorais  came 
with  his  parents  and  thus  an  enlargement  of  the  presbytery  was  necessaiy.  In  the  mean 
time  he  received  open  and  cordial  hospitality  from  Mr.  Charles  Paradis.  The  parish  as 
vet  only  numbered  twenty-two  families.  On  his  arrival  Fr.  Dorais  had  gone  to  . 
Albert  'to  receive  his  Bishop's  orders.  There  he  met  a  lady  who  said  to  him,  \  ou  are 
going  to  the  Barracks?  Ah!  well!  the  Fathers  who  preceded  you  remained  no  longer 
than  a  year.  As  you  are  young,  and  a  newcover,  you  may  possibly  stay  there  two 


years ! 


78  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


We  must  allow  that  this  forecast  was  not  very  encouraging,  but  Our  Lord  has 
said,  "No  one  is  a  prophet  in  his  own  country."  The  new  missionary  returned  to  his  post 
and  took  up  his  work  with  courage  and  perseverance.  He  remained  there  for  nearly 
seventeen  years,  until  the  moment  of  his  untimely  death,  on  the  16th  of  March,  1908, 
at  the  age  of  forty-five. 

It  was  in  this  way,  according  to  Father  Lestanc's  account,  that  the  little  church 
received  the  name  of  Notre  Dame  de  Lourdes.  Bishop  Grandin  for  a  long  time  had 
been  suffering  from  excrutiating  ear  aches,  which  scarcely  left  him  any  rest.  How  ter 
rible  these  pains  are  is  well  known.  One  evening  when  they  seemed  almost  unbear 
able,  Bishop  Grandin  made  a  vow  that  the  next  parish  to  be  founded  should  receive 
the  name  of  Our  Lady  of  Lourdes,  if  this  good  Mother  would  obtain  him  alleviation 
of  his  sufferings.  His  pains  were  relieved,  and  on  awakening  next  morning  the  good 
Bishop  believed  himself  entirely  cured.  Some  time  after  the  name  of  Notre  Dame  de 
Lourdes  was  given  to  the  parish. 

The  unpretentious  church  built  by  Fr.  Blanchet  did  good  service  for  ten  years 
more,  but  in  the  end  it  was  crumbling  from  old  age.  The  pieces  of  wood  which  served 
as  foundation  being  rotten  and  worn  eaten,  the  building  seemed  to  sink  into  the  ground. 
Moreover,  it  had  become  altogether  insufficient  in  size  for  the  population,  which  had 
grown  remarkably.  But  there  were  no  reserve  funds  and  the  enterprise  of  building 
a  new  church  seemed  most  difficult,  if  not  rash.  However,  the  work  was  com 
menced  in  1901.  At  their  pastor's  suggestion,  the  ladies  of  the  Society  of  St.  Anne, 
then  newly  established,  organized  a  bazaar  to  procure  funds  in  view  of  build 
ing.  Success  crowned  their  efforts,  and  through  the  zeal  displayed  by  their  priest  and 
the  ladies,  and  by  means  of  "Raffles  and  Lunch  Socials,"  the  sum  of  $600  was  re 
alized,  which,  when  added  to  the  subscription  raised  by  the  parishioners,  amounted  to 
$1,200.  But,  alas!  this  good  result  was  not  to  be  of  much  use.  A  committee  was  form 
ed  to  prepare  for  the  erection  of  the  new  church  and  a  certain  quantity  of  lumber  was 
procured.  Nearby,  a  brickyard  was  opened  for  the  purposes  of  the  new  building.  This, 
however,  proved  to  be  a  complete  failure.  All  the  money  thus  vanished  and  soon  the 
people  found  themselves  without  any  resources.  All  this  was  somewhat  of  a  disappoint 
ment,  so  that,  for  a  time,  they  did  not  dare  to  make  any  further  attempt. 

Meanwhile  the  need  of  a  new  church  was  very  urgent.  Things  could  not  long 
remain  thus  without  some  new  effort  being  made.  A  new  committee  was  formed  under 
the  direction  of  the  parish  priest.  A  new  bazaar  was  organized  and  in  fifteen  hours  the 
sum  of  $775.45  was  realized.  Towards  this  result  a  courteous  competition  between 
two  ladies  of  the  parish,  which  was  settled  by  votes,  greatly  contributed.  Rev.  W. 
Dorais  obtained  plans  for  the  new  church  from  Mr.  Venne,  an  architect  of  Montreal. 
The  church  was  to  be  60  feet  long  and  40  feet  wide,  with  an  addition  of  a  sanctuary 
and  a  sacristy,  12x18  feet.  The  construction  was  entrusted  to  Mr.  Millette,  a  con 
tractor  in  the  parish. 

Bishop  Legal  came  to  bless  the  corner  stone  on  the  10th  of  August,  1902,  and 
on  the  15th  February,  1903,  His  Lordship  returned  to  celebrate  the  patronal  feast  of 
Notre  Dame  de  Lourdes,  and  to  bless  and  dedicate  the  church  to  divine  service.  It  is 
a  fine  building,  with  its  high  steeple.  Its  exterior  is  distinguished  for  its  solemn  elegance, 
but  its  interior  is  still  awaiting  decoration,  which  it  is  hoped  will  not  be  long  deferred.' 

A  debt  of  $1,000  remained  on  the  church.  Rev.  Fr.  Dorais  turned  for  help  to 
his  family  and  his  pious  and  generous  uncle  advanced  the  sum,  receiving  in  return  an 
insurance  policy  as  a  guarantee.  A  few  years  later  the  debt  was  cleared  from  the  parish 
revenues,  and  now  it  is  proposed  to  build  a  new  and  more  convenient  presbytery  to  re 
place  the  old  one. 

After  the  completion  of  the  new  church  the  Rev.  E.  Dorais  well  deserved  a  little 
rest.  In  1905  he  was  permitted  to  take  a  trip  to  the  Province  of  Quebec,  there  to 
breathe  the  air  of  his  native  parish  and  to  visit  his  relatives  whom  he  had  left  behind. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  79 


During  his  absence  the  Rev.  Fr.  A.  Bernier  was  especially  entrusted  with  the 
care  of  the  spiritual  interest  of  Notre  Dame  de  Lourdes. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  E.  Dorais,  1891,  the  parish  possessed  twenty-three 
families,  but  at  the  end  of  1907  it  numbered  eighty-three,  nearly  all  French  Canadians. 
Within  the  parish  limits  there  are  four  Catholic  schools  attended  by  about  1  20  children. 

The  statue  of  Our  Lady  of  Lourdes,  from  its  elevated  position  on  the  facade  of 
the  church,  draws  down  the  blessing  of  Heaven  on  all  the  parish,  one  of  which  has 
been  that  it  has  already  provided  a  priest  for  the  Diocese  in  the  person  of  the  Rev. 
Theodore  Rocque,  who  was  ordained  on  the  14th  of  May,  1905.  Seven  families  m 
the  parish  also  have  the  privilege  of  counting  some  nuns  among  their  members. 

On  the  19th  of  March  of  the  year  1908,  numerous  priests  had  assembled  at  Notre 
Dame  de  Lourdes  with  their  Bishop  for  a  sad  ceremony.  They  had  come  to  pay  the 
last  tribute  of  affection  and  respect  to  the  priest  who  had  been  so  unexpectedly  called 
to  the  reward  promised  to  good  and  faithful  servants  of  God. 

The  death  of  Rev.  E.  Dorais,  hastened  the  coming  of  the  Franciscan  Fathers, 
who  had  already  consented  to  come  and  assist  in  the  missionary  work  of  the  Diocese. 
I  hey  came  during  Lent  of  1908.  Rev.  Father  Berchmans  taking  charge  of  the  parish 
and  keeping  it  until  October,  1  909. 

7  hen  Rev.  Father  M.  Pilon  was  appointed  parish  priest  and  remained  there  until 
December  1912.  During  his  stay  he  provided  the  decoration  of  the  inside  of  the 
church  making  many  important  and  tasteful  alterations. 

Rev.  A.  Normandeau  succeeded  Rev.  M.  Pilon  until  the  time  when  he  was  called 
himself  to  take  charge  of  the  colonization  work  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1914.  It 
is  now  Rev.  J.  Gamier  who  presides  over  the  destinies  of  the  parish  of  N.  D.  de 
Lourdes. 

2.— THE    PARISH    OF    ST.    EMERENCE.       (Riviere    qui    Barre). 

Towards  the  year  1893,  white  colonists  of  various  nationalities  commenced  to 
settle  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Mission  of  St.  Alexander,  at  Riviere  qui  Barre.  At 
first  they  were  visited  by  the  Fathers  on  the  Reserve,  and  it  was  not  until  the  month  of 
May,  1895,  on  the  occasion  of  a  visit  from  Bishop  Grandin,  that  it  was  decided  to  con 
struct  a  chapel  for  them  outside  the  Reserve. 

The  church  was  dedicated  to  St.  Emerence  in  remembrance  of  a  benefactress  from 
France  who  had  given  assistance  for  this  purpose.  The  house-chapel  was  built  to  the 
East  of  the  Reserve,  and  it  was  served  by  Rev.  Fr.  Blanchet.  On  the  10th  of  February, 
1897,  the  latter  was  replaced  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  George  Nordmann,  who  resided  habit 
ually  at  the  St.  Alexander  Mission  as  Fr.  Dauphin's  companion.  Besides  St.  Emerence, 
Father  Nordmann  had  to  attend  to  the  needs  of  many  groups  of  Germans,  which  oc 
casioned  many  journeys. 

In  October,  1901,  Fr.  Nordmann  was  replaced  by  the  present  parish  priest,  the 
Rev.  Fr.  Okhuysen,  who  had  been  ordained  priest  at  St.  Albert,  the  June  preceding. 

But  the  primitive  little  chapel  was  far  from  being  sufficient  for  the  population. 
Moreover  it  was  not  in  a  central  position,  and  in  consequence  it  was  determined  to  trans 
fer  it  elsewhere  and  this  was  done  on  the  following  30th  of  December.  Its  new  position 
was  about  four  miles  distant  to  the  south-east.  But  the  time  had  now  come  to  build  a  more 
spacious  and  suitable  church.  The  parishioners  undertook  the  work  courageously.  The 
wood  was  cut  and  hauled  in  the  course  of  this  same  winter  and  building  operations  started 
in  August  of  1902.  Fhe  church  was  sufficiently  advanced  to  be  used  for 
public  worship  on  the  1 6th  of  November,  when  Bishop  Legal  came  to  bless  it  and 
administer  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation  for  the  first  time  in  the  new  parish.  The  church 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


measured  96  feet  by  42.  It  is  built  of  lumber  and  far  from  being  complete,  both  in 
ternally  and  exteriorly,  but  it  has  already  a  fine  appearance  and  affords  ample  accom 
modation  for  the  Catholic  population. 

This  result  had  not  been  obtained  without  contracting  a  considerable  debt  of  more 
than  $1,200.  Owing  to  bad  years  and  other  expenses  to  meet,  this  debt  could  not 
be  paid  by  the  first  of  January,  1908.  It  was  a  heavy  burden  and  the  cause  of  con 
tinual  anxiety.  It  was  then  decided  to  make  a  generous  effort.  In  spite  of  the  bad 
harvest  of  the  preceding  year,  a  subscription  list  was  started  which  realized  a  sum  of 
more  than  $600.  A  basket  picnic  succeeded  also  in  furnishing  the  rest  of  the  sum 
needed,  and  on  the  16th  of  February  the  whole  debt  was  cleared.  It  is  pleasing  to 
behold  what  can  be  done  by  mutual  agreement  and  unanimous  good  will.  May  such 
continue  and  there  will  soon  be  a  completely  furnished  church  which  will  be  an  honor 
to  the  parish.  Some  other  buildings  of  considerable  size  have  also  been  added  to  the 
Mission.  The  presbytery  has  been  enlarged  and  repaired,  so  that  the  parish  is  now 
solidly  founded  and  can  not  fail  to  develop  rapidly. 

3.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 
MORINVILLE. 

Up  to  the  year  1  89 1 ,  the  new  settlers  coming  to  the  North  West  had  themselves 
taken  the  initiative.  There  was  not  as  yet  any  plan  of  colonization.  It  was  M.  1'Abbe 
J.  B.  Morm,  who  undertook  this  important  but  difficult  task  for  which  he  had,  how 
ever,  all  the  qualities  for  success.  Of  indefatigable  activity,  good  humor,  and  high 
spirits  proof  against  any  difficulty,  even  in  the  most  critical  moments,  he  knew  how  to 
gam  the  confidence  of  all,  and  while  submitting  to  their,  at  times,  somewhat  unreason 
able  exactions,  he  was  always  able  to  make  his  authority  and  the  firmness  of  his  manage 
ment  felt.  He  did  much  for  the  colonization  of  this  part  of  the  country,  and  the  parishes 
of  Mormville,  Beaumont,  St.  Pierre  and  St.  Emile,  amongst  others,  owe  him  a  well 
deserved  debt  of  gratitude. 

It  was  in  the  spring  of  1891  that  he  brought  the  first  contingent.  The  railroad  had 
advanced  as  far  as  Calgary,  but  the  branch  line  to  Edmonton  had  not  as  yet  been  con- 
His  Lordship,  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert,  sent  some  carriages  to  meet  the  new 
comers  and  they  made  the  journey  of  200  miles  between  Calgary  and  Edmonton,  without 
too  much  difficulty.  Bishop  Grandin  wished  to  receive  the  new  settlers  with  solemnity. 
He  went  in  procession,  surrounded  by  his  clergy,  to  meet  them  at  the  door  of  his 
Cathedral  There  he  addressed  them  in  befitting  words  of  encouragement  which  created 
a  profound  impression.  The  new  comers  learnt  from  the  outset  that  they  had  not  ar 
rived  in  a  desert,  but  that  there  were  hearts  there  devoted  to  their  services  and  ready  to 
watch  over  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  They  proceeded  on  their  way,  consoled  by  the 
words  of  the  Bishop,  and  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Paul  Auve,  the  first  and  only 
settler  so  far  in  these  parts,  they  came  to  the  place  which  is  today  the  flourishing  district 
of  Morinville. 

It  is  always  interesting  to  learn  who  were  the  first  to  have  the  courage  to  face  the 
unknown  and  to  found  a  new  settlement.  The  following  are  the  names  of  the  first 
settlers  who  then  arrived  with  their  families:  Messrs.  Aristide  and  Ovila  Riopel,  Emanuel 
<ivet,  Noel  Boissonnault  and  his  sons  Louis  and  Hormisdas,  Norbert  Houle  and  his  sons 
Joseph  and  Thomas,  Dolphus  Morin,  Mederic  Labbe,  Narcisse  Brissette,  Charles  and 
Ludger  Lemire  and  Dieudonne  Tellier. 

From  the  beginning  the  Oblate  Fathers  of  St.  Albert  regularly  visited  the  settle 
ment.  A  little  house  built  on  the  land  belonging  to  them,  east  of  the  present  church, 
served  as  the  first  chapel.  In  1892  the  arrival  of  new  settlers  further  increased  the  settle 
ment  and  the  Rev.  M.  Harnois  was  appointed  as  the  parish  priest.  A  little  chapel  was 
built  on  his  land  and  at  this  time,  too,  the  privilege  of  a  postoffice  was  granted. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  81 


In  1893  the  Rev.  Fr.  B.  Desroches  undertook  the  charge  of  the  parish.  The 
population  was  now  increasing  so  rapidly  that  soon  the  chapel  was  too  small,  and  it 
was  decided  to  erect  in  the  course  of  the  following  winter,  the  spacious  building  con 
structed  of  hewn  timber,  which  served  as  a  church  until  the  beginning  of  the  year, 
1908.  It  was  dedicated  to  St.  John  the  Baptist,  the  patron  Saint  of  the  Rev.  J.  B. 
Morin. 

In  1894,  yielding  to  the  entreaties  of  the  Rev.  Fr.  Morin,  there  came  the  Rev. 
J.  M.  Jolicoeur,  to  whom  the  care  of  the  new  parish  was  at  once  entrusted.  In  the  fol 
lowing  year  he  undertook  the  construction  of  the  elegant  presbytery  which  still  exists. 

Meanwhile,  Rev.  Fr.  Morin,  who  always  felt  a  special  attachment  for 
Morinville,  did  not  fail  each  year  to  direct  hither  all  those  settlers  who  were  willing  to 
follow  his  advice.  In  1897  he  arranged  for  the  construction  of  a  telephone  connection 
between  Morinville  and  St.  Albert  which  was  already  joined  to  Edmonton.  Certain 
townspeople  formed  a  company  to  furnish  the  posts  and  Fr.  Morin  obtained  the  wire 
and  other  apparatus  from  the  Government  at  Ottawa. 

In  June,  1989,  the  Association  of  St.  John  the  Baptist  was  organized  for  the 
first  time.  Mr.  Emmanuel  Rivet  being  its  first  president.  The  National  feast  was  cel 
ebrated  at  Morinville  with  great  splendor.  There  was  a  banquet  held,  with  patriotic 
addresses,  and  in  the  evening  a  grand  concert,  the  whole  being  a  great  event  in  the  his 
tory  of  the  otherwise  quiet  parish  life. 

In  the  autumn  of  1899,  the  parish  priest,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Jolicoeur  succeeded  in 
erecting  the  first  village  school,  which  was  situated  near  the  church.  It  was  an  independ 
ent  school  in  no  way  under  Government  control,  where  French  and  English  could  be 
taught  at  will  and  to  whatever  extent  that  was  desired.  In  fact,  both  languages  were 
taught,  the  French  course  being  entrusted  to  Miss  A.  Latulipe,  and  the  English  to  Miss 
Steffes.  At  the  opening  of  the  school  60  children  responded  to  the  appeal. 

The  little  village  had  increased  in  such  fashion  as  to  assume  the  proportion  of  a  little 
town.  Several  stores  were  already  there,  among  others  those  of  Mr.  Dolphus  Morin, 
Mr.  O.  Gouin,  and  a  hotel  built  by  Mr.  Joseph  Beaudry,  which  shortly  afterwards 
became  the  property  of  M.  Louis  L'Agace. 

The  Morinville  Flour  Mill  Company  was  also  organized  at  this  time.  The  mill 
was  built  in  1900,  but  it  was  not  put  into  operation  until  the  winter  of  1903-4. 

In  March,  1 902  Rev.  Fr.  Jolicoeur  decided  to  return  to  his  original  diocese 
of  Montreal.  The  Oblate  Fathers  of  St.  Albert  undertook  temporarily  to  provide  the 
religious  services  at  Morinville  until  Rev.  Fr.  A.  Ethier,  then  parish  priest  of  St. 
Vital,  Beaumont,  was  appointed  to  Morinville.  He  took  charge  of  the  parish  on 
Ascension  Day,  the  8th  of  May,  1902.  The  parish  now  counted  120  Catholic  families, 
of  which  20  were  German.  The  village  itself  only  counted  fifteen  families,  but  in 
these  years,  1903  and  1904,  many  other  buildings  had  been  erected:  shops,  hotels 
and  offices  in  addition  to  those  already  existing.  The  flour  mill  was  now  in  working 
order  and  the  more  considerable  operations  at  the  coal  mine  belonging  to  Mr.  J.  G. 
Chevigny  contributed  also  in  a  notable  manner  to  increase  the  prosperity  of  Morinville. 

For  some  time  it  has  been  desired  to  obtain  the  services  of  some  community  of  nuns 
to  take  over  the  care  of  the  school  and  to  open  a  boarding  establishment  for  young  girls 
and  children  living  at  a  distance.  The  persecution  raging  in  France  had  scattered  the 
religious  congregations  far  and  wide.  One  of  these  had  found  refuge  in  the  Diocese 
of  St.  Albert,  the  Daughters  of  Jesus  (Filles  de  Jesus)  from  Kermana,  in  Brittany. 
They  had  already  established  several  houses  here,  particularly  in  connection  with  the 
Bishop's  House  and  the  Seminary  at  St.  Albert,  but  they  were  a  teaching  congregation, 
and  in  consequence  these  Sisters  were  approached  and  the  appeal  was  successful. 

In  January,  1903,  the  first  nuns  arrived  at  Morinville.  These  were  Sisters  Mane 
Adeline,  the  Superioress;  Sister  St.  Nicholas,  for  English;  Sister  Ste.  Tarcienne  for 


82  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Music  and  Sister  Ste.  Eutrope  Marie,  a  lay  Sister.  Thanks  to  the  generous  co-opera 
tion  of  the  population  the  school  house  was  enlarged  to  give  the  nuns  sufficient  dwelling 
accommodation. 

1  he  new  school  was  opened  on  the  2nd  of  February,  and  remained  for  some  time 
parochial  and  independent.  In  1 906,  however,  it  came  under  Government  control. 

In  1905,  the  coal  mine  belonging  to  Mr.  J.  E.  Chavigny  passed  into  the  hands  of 
a  company  of  about  twelve  members,  French-Canadian  and  English  of  Edmonton.  The 
approaching  branch  line  of  the  C.  N.  R.  was  an  assured  thing,  and  in  consequence  there 
would  be  large  coal  orders  placed  with  the  company  of  the  Cardiff  mines  and  every 
facility  for  transportation.  In  fact  the  construction  of  the  railroad  was  begun  in  the  spring, 
and  pushed  on  with  such  activity  that  the  line  was  finished  by  the  end  of  October  and 
trains  were  arriving  regularly  at  Morinville.  This,  added  to  the  very  successful  harvests 
of  the  years  1905  and  1906,  gave  a  new  spurt  to  the  prosperity  of  the  district.  In  the 
course  of  the  summer  the  first  grain  elevator  was  erected  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Gariepy,  of 
Edmonton. 

For  a  long  time,  the  first  church  built  in  1894  had  been  inadequate  to  satisfy  the 
needs  of  the  district.  It  was  much  too  small.  Moreover,  with  its  unfinished  tower  and 
its  exterior  blackened  by  exposure  and  the  inclemency  of  the  seasons,  during  so  many 
years,  it  presented  a  sorry  appearance  in  the  little  town  which  already  possessed  many 
houses  of  elegant  design.  There  was  no  longer  room  for  hesitation,  but  every  call  for 
action.  The  church  had  only  about  $2,000  in  hand,  so  a  subscription  list  was  decided 
on  and  in  a  few  days  the  handsome  sum  of  $4,000  was  realized.  The  plans  for  a 
large  and  handsome  church  were  prepared  by  Mr.  J.  A.  Senecal,  of  St.  Boniface, 
Manitoba,  and  in  the  course  of  July  affairs  were  so  far  advanced  as  to  entrust  the 
building  of  the  church  to  Mr.  Arch.  Munn,  an  Edmonton  contractor,  at  the  price  of 
$18,777.  It  was  necessary,  of  course,  to  arrange  for  a  loan  of  $13,000.  The  work 
commenced  at  the  end  of  August  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Barnes,  an  archi 
tect  of  Edmonton. 

The  blessing  of  the  corner  stone  was  an  imposing  ceremony,  presided  over  by 
Bishop  Legal  of  St.  Albert,  who  was  accompanied  by  many  of  the  clergy.  The  Rev. 
Fr.  Blanche!,  a  Lazarist  on  a  visit  to  St.  Albert,  was  the  preacher  specially  appointed 
for  the  occasion  to  give  the  sermon  in  French,  while  the  Rev.  Fr.  Nordmann,  O.M.I., 
Superior  of  the  Seminary,  preached  in  English.  The  work  was  pushed  on  with  vigor, 
and  in  spite  of  disappointments  which  happened  here  as  usual,  and  perhaps  more  than 
usual,  the  church  was  opened  for  public  worship  on  January  1st,  1908.  The  need  of 
sufficient  funds  has  caused  the  building  of  the  Sacristy  to  be  delayed  as  well  as  the 
covering  of  the  exterior  with  bricks,  and  the  general  ornamentation,  but,  such  as  it  is, 
the  Morinville  church  is  already  a  building  remarkable  for  its  vast  proportions  and  its 
beautiful  exterior  appearance.  The  parish  priest,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Ethier,  had  every  reason 
for  congratulation  on  having  brought  his  great  and  difficult  enterprise  to  so  successful  a 
termination.  The  blessing  of  the  new  church  by  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Legal  was  another 
imposing  ceremony  which  took  place  on  the  29th  of  March,  1908.  Yet  Rev.  A.  Ethier, 
in  Nov.  1912,  decided  to  resign  his  large  parish,  in  order  to  assume  the  functions  of 
agent  of  Colonization,  in  place  of  Rev.  J.  A.  Ouellette.  His  place  has  been  filled  by 
Rev.  A.  Gauthier  the  present  parish  priest,  1914,  who  has  already  succeeded  in  doing 
much  work.  The  whole  structure  of  the  church  has  been  strengthened  and  the  inside 
partly  decorated. 

4.—PARISH  OF  ST.  VITAL. 
BEAUMONT. 

The  parish  of  Beaumont,  situated  fifteen  miles  south-east  of  South  Edmonton, 
and  ten  miles  east  of  Leduc,  has  not  the  advantage  of  those  special  conditions  which 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


attract  settlers,  such  as  railroads,  or  coal  mines,  but  is  satisfied  with  the  fertility  of  its 
soil  and  owes  its  existence  to  the  church  built  there  a  little  after  the  arrival  of  the  first 
settlers. 

It  was  in  1892  that  under  the  personal  direction  of  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Morin,  the 
energetic  Colonization  Agent,  that  the  first  pioneers  of  the  parish  settled  in  the  district, 
which  was,  up  to  then,  known  as  "Sandy  Lake."  The  following  may  be  enumerated 
as  the  first  settlers:  Messrs.  Chartier,  Dumont  and  Brunelle,  to  be  shortly  followed  by 
Messrs.  Bolduc  Dubord,  Juneau,  Lachapelle,  and  others  who  came  mostly  from  the 
states  of  Wisconsin  and  Washington. 

In  1893  the  new  colony  already  numbered  twenty  families.  At  this  time  the  Rev. 
Fr.  Perrault,  O.M.I.,  from  the  Mission  of  Stoney  Plain,  began  to  visit  the  place 
regularly,  and  in  1 894  the  Rev.  Fr.  A.  Lacombe  came  to  console  and  encourage  the 
new  comers.  But  they  were  desirous  of  having  a  real  parish,  whereupon  they  applied 
to  His  Lordship,  Bishop  Grandin.  This  saintly  man,  so  full  of  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  souls,  could  not  refuse  their  request.  He  bought  ten  acres  of  land  on  a  section 
belonging  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  afterwards  Mr.  Chartier  made  a  gift 
of  twenty  acres  more,  which  laid  the  foundation  of  the  village  of  Beaumont.  Bishop 
Grandin  sent  as  its  first  pastor,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Poitras,  whose  immediate  task  was  to  build 
a  church.  With  good  will  and  axe  in  hand  he  himself  aided  in  its  construction,  which 
was  accomplished  in  the  spring  of  the  following  year,  1896.  For  rheir  patron  Saint, 
the  parishioners  desired  none  other  than  that  of  their  Bishop,  St.  Vital. 

However,  as  often  happens,  difficulties  arose.  Some  of  the  parishioners  wished  to 
change  the  site  of  the  church,  while  others  wanted  it  to  remain  in  its  place,  so  Bishop 
Grandin  himself  came  with  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Morin  and  Rev.  Fr.  Perrault  to  listen  to 
arguments  for  and  against.  A  few  days  after  a  letter  came  from  His  Lordship  to 
decide  the  question.  This  was  publicly  read.  It  ruled  that  the  site  of  the  church 
should  remain  as  before,  and  to  His  Lordship's  touching  words  all  respectfully  submit 
ted.  The  first  High  Mass  was  celebrated  there  on  the  30th  of  June.  At  this  time 
also  the  settlement  underwent  a  change  of  name.  A  group  of  English  settlers  who  lived 
at  some  little  distance  from  the  church  wanted  to  retain  for  themselves  the  name  of 
"Sandy  Lake,"  and  this  was  readily  granted  them.  But  on  account  of  the  beautiful 
situation  of  the  Catholic  parish  on  the  ridge  of  the  pretty  hill,  the  village  received  the 
name  of  Beaumont. 

The  church  was  indeed  finished,  but  now  it  became  necessary  to  procure  the  articles 
requisite  for  divine  service.  A  bell  was  bought  for  $100.  Bishop  Grandin  furnished 
the  chalice,  cruets,  censer  and  altar  linen,  and  the  Rev.  Fr.  Morin,  who  continued  to 
take  great  interest  in  the  young  parish,  made  a  collection  to  buy  the  sacred  vestments, 
stations  of  the  cross,  etc.  Lastly,  several  of  the  parishioners  also  contributed  in  divers 
ways  to  aid  in  the  decoration  of  the  modest  sanctuary. 

In  1896  a  small  presbytery  had  been  constructed  of  hewn  logs.  The  Rev.  Father 
Leduc,  from  Edmonton,  furnished  the  little  household  furniture  and  His  Lordship,  the 
Bishop,  supplied  the  new  pastor  with  a  carriage  and  a  team  of  horses.  The  Rev.  Fr. 
Poitras  having  been  called  to  another  Mission,  the  Oblate  Fathers  from  St.  Albert  or 
the  neighborhood  were  obliged,  during  the  space  of  two  months,  to  provide  the  re 
ligious  services  at  Beaumont.  The  Rev.  Fathers  Lemarchand,  Vegreville  and  Tissier 
came  in  turns.  Their  visits  did  so  much  good  that  the  memory  of  these  good  Fathers 
has  ever  since  been  fondly  cherished. 

1  he  Rev.  M.  Beauoarlant,  corning  from  Mortreal,  was  next  placed  in  charge 
of  St.  Vital  by  Bishop  Grandin  in  the  spring  of  1896.  He  found  the  situation  still  far 
from  comfortable.  His  presbytery,  only  twenty  feet  square,  was  poor  and  wretched 
and  he  was  obliged  to  undergo  privations  of  various  kinds.  Thus  he  did  not  stay  long. 
On  the  Feast  of  All  Saints,  1897,  he  returned  to  his  original  Diocese,  and  Fathers 
Lemarchand  and  Culerier.  for  six  months,  undertook  the  spiritual  charge  of  the  parish. 


84  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Finally,  the  first  priest  that  has  had  the  time  to  cause  his  influence  to  be  felt  on  the 
parish  was  appointed  toward  the  middle  of  1898.  This  was  the  Rev.  A.  Ethier,  whose 
ministry  as  parish  priest,  for  four  years,  was  very  fruitful,  both  from  the  material  and 
spiritual  aspect.  He  added  a  kitchen  to  the  presbytery,  as  well  as  other  dependencies, 
and  the  church  was  further  ornamented  with  several  statues.  On  the  spiritual  side  he 
organized  the  Association  of  the  Apostoleship  of  Prayer,  the  Congregation  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  and  the  Confraternity  of  St.  Anne.  When  Rev.  A.  Ethier  was  called  upon  to  take 
charge  of  the  parish  of  Morinville.  he  left  that  of  Beaumont  solidly  and  definitely 
organized. 

During  the  three  years  following  the  departure  of  Rev.  A.  Ethier  in  1902,  the 
parish  was  served  by  the  Rev  S.  Bouchard  and  the  Rev.  Th.  Quevillon,  conjointly  at 
first,  but  later  in  succession.  The  first  named  marked  out  the  cemetery  and  built  the 
gallery  of  the  church,  while  the  latter  added  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  by  the  direction 
of  a  school. 

About  the  middle  of  July,  1905,  there  arrived  from  the  Diocese  of  Valleyfield  a 
young  priest  who  had  been  ordained  on  the  mission  title  for  the  Diocese  of  St.  Albert. 
This  was  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Ouellette.  who  was  immediately  put  in  charge  of  the  young 
parish  of  St.  Vital  Beaumont,  and  who,  from  the  first,  succeeded  in  gaining  the  confidence 
and  the  sympathies  of  his  parishioners.  There  were  yet  many  necessary  improvements 
to  be  made  m  the  presbytery,  and  the  church  to  which  he  at  once  directed  his  energy 
.ind  zeal.  Very  soon  the  presbytery  was  suitably  improved,  the  sacristy  furnished  and 
the  church  enriched  with  a  handsome  high  altar,  carved  in  wood  work,  the  gift  of  his 
brother,  Mr.  Alfred  Ouellette,  of  Terrebonne.  Lastly  he  intended  to  provide  the 
church  with  that  indispensible  complement,  a  bell  tower,  without  which  a  Catholic  church 
seems  unfinished,  but  was  obliged  to  delay  the  work. 

In  1907,  recognizing  the  energy  and  the  many  sided  abilities  of  the  Rev.  M.  Ouel 
lette.  His  Lordship,  Bishop  Legal,  resolved  to  entrust  him,  at  least  temparanly,  with  the 
work  which  had  been  accomplished  with  so  much  success  in  the  past  by  the  Rev. 
M.  Morm.  Accordingly  he  was  appointed  colonization  agent,  and  in  that  capacity 
he  had  to  undertake  many  journeys  eastward  and  to  the  United  States.  He  has 
been  able  in  this  manner  to  exercise  his  zeal  in  a  wider  field  and  to  labor  not  only 
for  the  good  of  Beaumont,  but  for  the  whole  Diocese  of  St.  Albert.  He  has  already 
succeeded  in  bringing  out  many  contingents  of  Catholic  settlers  whom  he  directs  especial 
ly  towards  the  Half-breed  settlement  of  St.  Paul  des  Metis  and  the  beautiful  district 
around  Moose  Lake. 

During  his  absence  the  Rev.  L.  Simon  took  his  place  at  Beaumont.  Before  his 
departure,  the  Rev.  M.  Ouellette  invited  the  Rev.  F.  Emard  to  preach  a  retreat  to  his 
parishioners,  which  was  attended  with  the  happiest  results.  It  was  not,  however,  the 
first  of  its  kind,  for  before  him  the  Rev.  A.  Ethier  had  obtained  the  same  blessing 
ior  the  parish  from  Fr.  Z.  Lacasse,  who  in  this  retreat  greatly  stirred  the  people  with 
his  manly  and  graphic  eloquence. 

During  the  space  of  sixteen  years  the  little  group  of  settlers  had  been  gradually 
added  to,  and  the  present  population  of  Beaumont  numbers  about  510  souls.  The 
village  of  Beaumont  has  also  increased  in  size  and  the  parishioners  have  seen  their  affairs 
prosper.  They  are  all  fairly  well  off  and  their  lands  are  well  worth  from  $4,000  to 
$5,000.  The  present  parish  priest,  Rev.  J.  E.  Ouellette,  a  cousin  to  the  previous  in- 
combent.  is  trying  to  provide  the  parish  with  a  new  and  more  convenient  church. 

5— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  PIERRE. 
P.  O.  VILLENEUVE. 

The  young  parish  of  St.  Pierre  is  situated  about  nine  miles  east  of  St.  Albert, 
borne  settlers  who  had  come  here  and  established  themselves  as  far  as  the  limits  of  Chief 
Michael  Calhhoo  s  Reserve,  had  for  some  time  been  asking  for  a  church  and  a  parish, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  85 


because  they  found  themselves  at  too  great  a  distance  from  St.  Albert.  Two  days 
only  arter  his  Episcopal  Consecration,  Bishop  Legal  went,  accompanied  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Dauphin,  to  choose  the  site  of  the  church  and  they  decided  on  the  south-west  corner 
of  Section  17,  T.  54,  R.  26. 

Among  the  first  inhabitants  of  the  parish  at  this  time  we  may  mention  Messrs. 
Philippe  Frenetic,  Henri  and  Pierre  Emile  Michelot  and  Hernias  Marois.  Steps  were 
taken  to  obtain  from  the  Government  a  legal  sub-division  of  forty  acres,  and  as  the 
section  belonged  to  the  C.P.R.  company  an  exchange  of  land  was  necessary.  1  he 
Government  lent  itself  to  the  transaction  and  the  subdivision  was  obtained. 

The  Indian  Reserve  of  Michael  Callihoo  commences  half  a  mile  to  the  west,  and 
thus  forms  the  western  half  part  of  the  parish,  which  is  a  little  more  than  six  square 
miles. 

The  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin,  of  the  Mission  of  St.  Alexander  at  Riviere  Qui  Barre, 
undertook  the  erection  of  a  modest  church  constructed  of  logs  or  hewn  timber.  A  lit 
tle,  simple  steeple  surmounted  the  gable  and  is  the  sign  by  which  it  is  recognized  as  the 
House  of  God.  The  wood  for  the  church  had  been  taken  from  the  Reserve,  and  this 
gave  the  Indians  the  right  of  attending  services  in  the  church.  The  church  was  very 
poor  with  its  bare  interior,  but  at  least  it  offered  a  place  of  worship  for  the  surrounding 
population  which  was  gathered  together  once  a  month  by  Fr.  Dauphin,  who  undertook 
the  work  of  visiting  the  parish  until  1900. 

In  the  month  of  October  of  this  year,  1900,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Simonin  came  to  take 
the  place  of  Fr.  Dauphin  at  the  St.  Alexander  mission,  and  continued  to  provide  relig 
ious  services  as  before  for  the  people  of  St.  Pierre.  The  church,  without  being  very 
elegant,  had  meanwhile  been  wainscoted  within  and  revaulted  with  fine  timber  from 
British  Columbia.  This  benefit  to  the  congregation  was  due  to  the  labor  of  Brother 
Hays  and  Brother  Barreau. 

The  first  resident  priest  at  St.  Pierre  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Bouchard,  who  came 
there  towards  the  commencement  of  1899.  The  first  act  inscribed  on  the  register 
is  that  of  the  marriage  of  M.  Emery  Tellier,  of  Morinville,  with  Mille  Clara  Hebert 
It  is  dated  the  10th  of  January,  1899. 

The  Rev.  Father  Bouchard  constructed  a  little  presbytery  with  some  outhouses 
near  the  church,  all  of  which  had  to  be  abandoned  later.  When  Father  Bouchard 
was  appointed  to  found  the  new  parish  at  St.  Emile,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Father 
Normandeau,  as  the  second  resident  priest  who  was  installed  as  such  by  Bishop  Legal 
on  June  2,  1901. 

In  the  month  of  April,  1903,  Rev.  Father  Normandeau  was  appointed  to  the 
charge  of  St.  Emile  and  it  was  not.  however,  till  the  September  of  this  year  that  the 
Rev.  Louis  Tremblay  took  charge  of  the  parish. 

Since  that  time  the  parish  has  been  enriched  with  a  good  presbytery,  which  was 
commenced  in  June,  1904,  and  finished  in  1906.  It  was  in  the  course  of  the  year 
1907  that  the  old  presbytery  and  its  outhouses  were  abandoned  and  the  new  one 
erected  a  short  distance  away  on  the  road  running  north  and  south.  The  cemetery 
placed  at  the  north-west  corner  of  the  forty  acres  near  the  road,  was  solemnly  con 
secrated  by  Mgr.  Legal  on  June  30.  1907. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer  the  church  property  was  surveyed  and  divided  into 
town  lots  by  Mr.  A.  Cote,  with  the  intention  of  selling  them  to  private  persons  and 
others  to  form  a  little  village. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1907  the  population  of  St.  Pierre  comprised  53  Catho 
lic  families.  There  were,  in  addition,  five  Protestant  families.  The  total  number  of 
individuals  was  about  300,  of  which  there  were  106  Indians  or  Indian  half-breeds. 
There  is  a  post  office  and  a  general  store.  Many  private  residences  are  very  com 
fortable  and  of  good  appearance.  The  lands  on  all  the  extent  of  the  parish  are  of 


86  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


excellent  quality.  The  mam  line  of  the  C.  N.  R.  heading  for  the  terminus  in  Vancouver 
,.  passes  about  one  mile  north  of  the  church.  This  will  surely  give  this  locality 
another  guarantee  of  prosperity.  The  new  church,  which  is  of  fine  appearance  was 
built  through  the  exertions  of  Rev.  A.  Clermont  the  present  pastor  of  the  parish  in  the 
fall  of  1911. 

6.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  EMILE. 
P.  O.  LEGAL. 

The  first  settlers  at  St.  Emile  were  Messrs.  P.  Jelot  and  E.  M.nard,  both  French 
men  coming  from  California.  They  arrived  in  1894.  Mr.  Webber  also  made  the 
entry  for  his  homestead  at  that  time.  Other  settlers  did  not  make  their  appearance  till 
two  or  three  years  later,  viz..  Messrs.  D.  Demers,  O.  Pouliot,  F.  X.  Trudel,  P.  Monn 
and  others. 

In   the  course  of  the  summer  of    1899,    His   Lordship   Bishop   Legal,    accompanied 

<ev.  .1.  B.  Monn,  came  to  designate  the  site  for  the  church,  and  the  frame 
work  was  erected  in  the  same  autumn.  But  it  was  not  until  the  following  year  1900 
?!?  ™  P™V1S1°nal  church,'  built  of  he^  log^  vvas  completed.  The  church  measured 
ML  o  f1, 1maSS  had  been  celebrated  in  1898  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Phileas 
Monn  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Monn,  who  was  accompanied  by  Rev.  S.  Bouchard.  The  latter 
continued  to  visit  the  growing  settlement  from  time  to  time. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer  of  1900,  a  shack  was  built  at  the  side  of  the  church 
to  serve  as  the  priest's  house.  This  shack  measuring  20x30  feet,  was  constructed  of  two 
rows  of  rough  boards  with  the  space  between  filled  with  earth,  and  the  roof  shingled. 
In  December,  1900,  Rev.  S.  Bouchard  came  to  dwell  there  with  his  parents  The 
hut  Baptism  entered  on  the  parochial  register  is  that  of  Joseph  Emile  Bouchard,  Septem- 

l         onn1    L      r  nal'    DamC    Menes'PPe    Massie,    nee    Rose    L'Ecuyer,    30th 

10;  the  first  marriage,   Hormisdas  Pelletier  and  Delle  Adelia   Leclerc,   30th 

December,     190  The    first    house    built    in    the    village    was    Mr.    Fortin's,    which 

served  as  the  post  office  ,n    1  89 1 .      The  name  of  Legal,  g.ven  to  the  postal  district,  and 

t   St.    Emile   to   the   parish,    were   chosen   as   a    tribute   to    Bishop    Emile   J.    Legal 
then  coadjutor  to  Bishop  Grandin,  first  Bishop  of  St.  Albert. 

A      •,Re,VAn'-    Bouchard    resided    at   St-    Emile    until    the   month    of   August,    1902.       In 
)3,    Rev.    J.    A.    Normandeau,    succeeded    him.       In    the    interval    Rev     Fr 
^thier   had   gone    from   his  parish    at   Morinville,    one  Sunday   a    month,    to   hold    the   re 
ligious  service. 

Rev.    A.    Normandeau    busied    himself    increasing    the    buildings    of    the    presbytery 
and  in  enclosing  the   cemetery.      The   presbytery   had   become   almost   untenable   and   in 
he    commenced    the    building    of    a    more    suitable    house.       The    new    presbytery 
was    Dished   in    the    following   year.    1906.      It   is   painted    and   presents   a    fine    appear- 
>07  the  parish  aquised  a  large  steel  bell,  weighing  3,500  pounds,  which  was 
)lemnly   blessed   by    Bishop   Legal   on   September   8th.      But   it   is   the   need   of   a   good 
ious    church    was    now    most    felt.       Not    only    did    the    miserable,    primitive    chapel' 
t    a    most    sorrowful    spectacle,    but    it    had    become    absolutely    insufficient    for    the 
number  of  the  people  of  this   flourishing  parish.      Consequently,   at   the  beginning  of  the 
1   a   building   committee   was    formed    under   the   direction   of   the   parish    priest 
Lumber   and   material    were   collected    and    a   start   was   made    for    the   construction    of   a 
large  and  commodious  church.      However,  the  work  for  some  time  was  slow  and  it  was 
only  during  the  spring  of     909  that  the  frame  of  the  new  building  was  erected  and  was 
made    ready    for    the    brick    veneer    which    was    intended    for    it. 

But  it  was  left  for  another  parish  priest  to  give  such  a  complement  to  the 
NUn J  ^bout  December  I91£  Rev.  A.  Normandeau  was  called  to  the  parish  of 
IN.  L>.  de  Lourdes  (Lamoureux  P.  O.)  and  his  place  was  filled  by  Rev.  Remi  Guertin 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  87 


who  managed,  during  the  year  1913.  to  brick-veneer  the  church,  and  in  1914  also  to 
veneer  the  sacristy  which  had  been  left  to  wait,  in  order  not  to  incur  loo  much  expense. 
Now  the  church  of  St.  Emile,  nestling  in  the  little  valley,  presents  a  quiet  and  charming 
appearance. 

In  1902  the  parish  of  St.  Emile  counted  only  30  to  40  families,  but  owing 
mainly  to  the  intelligent  and  patriotic  efforts  of  Mr.  Joseph  Bolduc  and  of  our  energetic 
clerical  agents  of  colonization,  the  number  has  greatly  increased,  so  that  at  present,  1914, 
there  are  about  232  families,  almost  exclusively  of  French  speaking  origin,  making 
a  total  of  over  one  thousand  souls.  The  village  has  several  stores  and  hotels  in  addi 
tion  to  private  residences,  and  is  connected  by  telephone  to  Morinville  and  Edmonton. 

In  October,  1907,  the  property  of  the  church  was  sub-divided  into  town  lots 
and  it  is  expected  that  the  village  will  have  every  facility  to  develop. 

In  addition  to  the  quality  of  the  soil  of  all  this  district  being  exceptionally  good, 
th  sub-soil  is  very  rich  in  coal,  which  is  found  some  few  feet  from  the  surface.  Rev.  A. 
Normandeau,  the  parish  priest,  was  the  first,  in  1903  to  excavate  it  for  his  own  use 
quite  near  his  house  and  on  the  church  grounds,  but  it  was  Mr.  Paiement,  who,  after 
acquiring  the  mining  rights  from  Mr.  Joseph  Tailleur,  was  the  first  to  mine  it  for 
commercial  purposes.  Finally,  a  line  of  the  Canadian  Northern  Railroad  passes  quite 
near  to  the  village  and  a  regular  service  has  betn  in  operation  for  a  couple  of  years  from 
Edmonton  to  Athabaska  Landing.  1914. 

7.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  ALOYSIUS  GONZAGA. 
(EDSON). 

In  the  year  1901,  Bishop  Legal  had  gone  almost  twelve  miles  north-west  of  the 
parish  of  St.  Emile,  to  fix  the  centre  of  a  future  parish.  A  party  composed  of  several 
persons  had  accompanied  Rev.  Father  Jolicoeur,  the  priest  in  charge  of  Morinville, 
on  the  1  7th  of  September.  They  encamped  beyond  the  little  river,  Vermilion.  The 
site  of  the  church  was  determined  by  planting  a  cross  on  a  pretty  hill  commanding 
a  large  view  of  all  the  surrounding  country.  Each  one  chose  his  future  home 
stead,  and  it  happened  that  on  the  following  evening  fourteen  homesteads  had 
already  been  selected.  The  district  was  called  the  "Grande  Prairie."  Unhappily 
this  sanguine  eagerness  cooled,  and  the  grouping  languished.  Thus  the  parish  was  not 
established  as  soon  as  was  at  first  expected. 

On  the  9th  of  September,  1907,  six  years  later,  Bishop  Legal  again  visited  this 
place  in  company  with  Rev.  A.  Normandeau,  parish  priest  of  St.  Emile,  and  a  friend 
then  staying  wilh  him.  Rev.  A.  A.  Bertrand.  They  were  cordiallv  welcomed  by 
Mr.  Joseph  Beauchamp.  The  site  of  the  church  was  again  visited  and  the  people  re 
quested  that  Rev.  A.  Bertrand  should  be  entrusted  with  the  charge  of  erecting  a  little 
temporary  church  for  them  and  of  undertaking  the  care  of  the  parish.  On  his  part, 
Father  Bertrand  seemed  desirous  of  consecrating  himself  to  this  work,  and  Bishop  Legal 
consented  to  apply  for  the  necessary  permission  to  Flis  Lordship,  the  Bishop  of  Valley- 
field,  to  whose  Diocese  Rev.  A.  Bertrand  belonged.  The  latter  then  put  himself 
resolutely  to  the  task  in  the  following  days,  and  in  spite  of  the  difficulties  and  ob 
stacles  which  are  never  wanting  under  like  circumstances,  he  succeeded  in  a  few  weeks 
in  erecting  a  fairly  good  house  measuring  24x32  feet,  with  an  annex  16x18.  The  larger 
room  served  for  the  church  and  the  other  for  a  dwelling  place. 

On  December  1st,  which  happened  to  be  the  first  Sunday  in  Advent,  High  Mass 
was  celebrated  for  the  first  time  in  this  temporary  church.  The  church  land  consisted 
of  a  legal  sub-division  of  forty  acres.  On  the  summit  of  this  hill  there  has  been  found, 
contrary  to  all  expectation,  a  thick  seam  of  coal  of  excellent  quality.  This,  it  is  hoped, 
will  prove  an  important  source  of  revenue  for  the  rising  parish.  Rev.  A.  A.  Bertrand 
also  visited  another  group  of  Catholics  at  Jeffrey,  a  distance  of  about  nine  miles. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Rev.  A.  Bertrand  having  been  transferred  to  Medicine  Hat,  the  mission  of  Edson, 
for  some  time,  was  left  without  a  resident  priest,  and  was  attended  in  the  meantime 
from  the  surrounding  parishes,  until  Rev.  Jos.  LeCerf  came  to  take  charge  of  it,  in 
March  1912.  _At  the  same  time,  he  took  charge  also  of  the  other  parts,  which  also  had 
assumed  some  importance. 

8.— THE  PARISH  OF  OUR  LADY  OF  PERPETUAL  HELP. 
(PICKARDVILLE  P.  O  .) 

1  here  was  quite  a  settlement  growing  in  a  south-westerly  direction  from  Edson, 
named  Pickardville.  A  large  number  of  Catholics,  mostly  French-Canadians,  were 
settling  in  that  part  of  the  country,  and  soon  it  was  necessary  to  build  a  new  church 
for  the  accommodation  of  these  new  settlers.  Mr.  Alfred  Demers  donated  10  acres 
of  land  on  his  homestead.  The  gift  of  a  memorial  chapel  had  already  been  obtained 
from  the  Church  Extension  Society  of  Canada,  and  when  Rev.  J.  LeCerf  could  look 
after  the  place,  the  sum  of  $500.00  donated  by  the  Laderonte  family,  of  Ottawa,  for  a 
memorial  chapel,  was  applied  to  the  building  of  the  new  parish  church.  According 
to  the  wish  of  the  donor  the  church  was  dedicated  in  the  name  of  Our  Lady  of 
Perpetual  Help. 

The  C.  N.  R.  line  going  from  Edmonton  to  Athabaska  Landing  had  somewhat 
altered  the  conditions  of  the  district.  Edscn  lost  part  of  its  importance,  as  the  post 
office  was  removed  to  Westlock,  further  north,  and  as  Pickardville  progressed  faster, 
Rev.  J.  LeCerf  was  obliged  to  transfer  his  residence  to  that  point  in  1914. 

Yet  while  residing  in  Pickardville,  he  continues  attending  to  the  religious  needs  of 
Edson,  Jeffrey  and  also  Clyde,  a  new  railway  station  on  the  road  to  Athabaska  Landing. 

We  must  mention  three  more  Catholic  missions  in  this  district  which  are  provided 
with  churches,  but  without  resident  priests. 

1.— THE  MISSION  OF  ST.  JOSEPH, 
(SPRUCE  GROVE  P.  O.) 

^The  church  was  built  about  1900,  on  a  piece  of  land,  (20  acres)  donated  by 
Guenette.  The  population  is  mixed,  French-Canadians  in  the  majority,  half-breeds 
and  quite  a  number  of  Germans  or  other  foreigners.  The  religious  service  is  provided 
for  them  from  the  adjoining  Indian  Reserve  of  Stoney  Plain;  Rev.  Father  Vegreville, 
Rev.  Father  Portier  and  others,  in  succession  looked  after  this  mission.  At  the  present 
time  it  is  in  charge  of  Rev.  Father  Chr.  Tissier,  missionary  at  Stoney  Plain  Indian 
Keserve. 

2.— THE  MISSION  OF  ST.  CHARLES. 
(EGG  LAKE  P.  O.) 

West  of  St.  Emile  parish,  a  small  church  has  been  built,  about  the  same  size  as  St. 
Joseph's  church,  of  Spruce  Grove.  1900,  on  a  legal  subdivision  obtained  from  the 
government,  but  the  number  of  Catholics  has  never  been  large  enough  to  require  a 
resident  priest. 

The  mission  has  been  always  attended  to  from  the  neighboring  Indian  Reserve 
of  Riviere  qui  Barre,  by  Rev.  Fathers  Dauphin,  O.M.I.,  Portier,  Simonin  and 
lastly,  1914,  by  Rev.  Father  LeBre  and  Lizee,  O.M.I. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  89 


3.— THE  MISSION  OF  OUR  LADY  OF  SION. 
(SION  P.  O.) 

Lake  La  Nonne,  so  called  from  the  translation  of  the  Indian  name  which  means 
the  "Whitehead  Eagle,"  that  the  French-Canadians  and  half-breeds  name  "La  Nonne" 
was  the  first  location  of  the  Indians  now  forming  the  Indian  mission  of  "Riviere 
qui  Barre".  When  the  mission  buildings  had  been  removed,  the  place  remained  for  a 
long  time  without  religious  service,  except  on  occasional  visits,  at  long  intervals.  Later 
on.  however,  for  the  benefit  of  a  number  of  half-breed  families  which  had  joined  those 
who  had  remained,  and  of  some  incoming  settlers,  a  new  church  was  built,  near  the 
lake,  a  fine  location,  on  a  legal  subdivision  of  land  obtained  from  the  government. 
The  church  was  blessed  on  the  8th  of  August,  1911,  on  the  occasion  of  a  pastoral 
visit  made  to  this  locality  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  of  St.  Albert.  It  has  been  dedicated  in 
the  name  of  "Our  Lady  of  Sion"  and  the  national  feast  appointed  to  the  8th.  of 
September,  the  Nativity  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 

The  mission  has  always  been  attended  to  from  the  Indian  Reserve  of  Riviere 
qui  Barre,  formerly  by  Father  Rev.  Simonin,  and  now,  in  1914,  by  Rev.  Father 
P.  LeBre.  O.  M.  I. 

As  the  country  north  of  Lake  La  Nonne  is  fast  settling,  it  will  be  necessary,  before 
long,  to  make  of  this  mission  a  central  point  wherefrom  to  visit  many  other  settle 
ments  lately  formed  in  the  whole  district. 

9.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  LAWRENCE. 
(BROSSEAU  P.  O.) 

The  site  of  Brosseau  exactly  coincides  with  that  of  the  former  Mission  of  St.  Paul 
des  Cris,  founded  by  Rev.  Father  Lacombe  on  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan.  It  is 
situated  about  thirty  miles  north-east  of  Vegreville.  Nothing  remains  of  the  old  mission 
save  some  traces  of  the  cemetery  which  are  still  quite  recognizable.  The  buildings, 
which  had  been  unoccupied  for  some  time  were  destroyed  by  a  conflagration,  which 
is  believed  not  to  have  been  due  altogether  to  chance. 

The  Catholic  population  here  is  rather  numerous,  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 
The  south  side  is  called  "Duvernay".  It  is  composed  principally  of  French-Canadians. 
The  first  attempt  to  found  a  parish  here  was  made  in  1905,  by  the  sending  of  Rev.  M. 
Gendre,  a  French  priest,  but  the  population  did  not  seem  as  yet  to  be  in  a  posi 
tion  to  maintain  a  priest,  and  after  his  departure  the  post  was  visited,  as  before,  from 
Vegreville,  by  Rev.  Fathers  Bernier  and  Gamier.  A  fresh  trial  was  made  at  the  end 
of  1907  by  Rev.  L.  J.  Roy,  a  Canadian  priest,  but  he  was  able  to  remain  only  a  couple 
of  months. 

Rev.  A.  Clermont  came  to  this  post  in  the  month  of  February  of  the  year 
1908.  He  has  succeeded  in  building  for  himself  a  suitable  presbytery,  and  he  is  active 
ly  engaged  in  the  erection  of  a  church  sufficiently  large  for  the  needs  of  the  population. 
This  new  parish  has  been  from  that  time  in  a  good  way  towards  complete  organization 
and  its  fine  position  assures  for  it  an  importance  which  must  continue  to  increase. 

In  May  1911  Rev.  A.  Clermont  was  succeeded  in  Brousseau  by  Rev.  J.  B. 
Leduc,  a  young  priest  from  the  Diocese  of  Valleyfield,  P.  Q.  Father  Leduc  has 
added  a  few  improvements  to  the  church  which,  however,  is  not  quite  finished  and 
has  not  received  the  additional  compliment  of  a  steeple  over  the  tower  waiting  for  it. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Leduc  has  been  obliged  to  divide  his  attention,  in  order  to  organize 
another  parish  north  of  Brosseau,  on  the  road  to  St.  Paul  des  Metis.  This  is  the 
mission  of  Lafond,  where  a  good  substantial  building  has  been  erected  to  serve  as 


90  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


a  church.      The  place  is  now  attended  to    from  the   Indian   Reserve  of  Saddle  Lake  by 
Rev.   Father  A.   Husson,  O.M.I. 

Several  other  posts,  viz.  St.  Benedict,  south  of  the  River  Saskatchewan  and  Beau- 
vallon  must  also  be  visited  by  the  priest  of  Brosseau. 

10.— PARISH  OF  ST.   VINCENT. 
DENISVILLE   P.   O. 

About  ten  miles  to  the  north  of  the  settlement  of  St.  Paul  des  Metis  there  has 
been  founded  in  the  course  of  the  year  1907,  a  new  Catholic  centre  in  the  district  of  the 
lake,  dignified  by  the  poetical  name  of  "La  Croupe  au  Chien,"  "Dog's  Rump." 
All  this  country,  indeed,  from  the  banks  of  the  Saskatchewan  as  far  as  the  districts 
of  Moose  Lake  and  Cold  Lake,  and  the  whole  length  of  the  valley  of  the  Beaver 
river,  are  essentially  suitable  for  cultivation.  The  land  is  excellent.  There  are  wooded 
regions  as  well  as  prairie  and  rich  pasture  land. 

At  the  above  mentioned  centre  Rev.  E.  Bonny  has  been  appointed  to  organize 
the  parish  of  St.  Vincent.  Rev.  Fr.  Bonny  belonged  to  the  congregation  of  the  "White 
Fathers  of  Algiers,"  founded  by  the  celebrated  Cardinal  Lavigerie,  but  as  the  climate 
of  Africa  was  very  unsuitable  to  his  health  he  has  come  to  try  that  of  Alberta.  He 
has  build  for  himself  a  house-chapel,  in  a  beautiful  position,  on  a  high  hill  commanding  an 
extensive  view  of  the  country  around. 

Rev.  Father  Bonny  was  transferred,  in  1910,  from  St.  Vincent  to  Moose  Lake 
district,  in  order  to  organize  a  new  parish  in  that  district.  He  was  replaced  by 
Rev.  Remi  Guertin. 

However  beautiful  the  former  location  of  the  church  of  St.  Vincent  was,  on  a 
property  of  10  acres,  obtained  from  the  government,  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
larger  part  of  the  Catholic  population,  it  was  decided  to  remove  the  site  of  the  church 
some  distance  east.  Rev.  R.  Guertin  erected  at  the  new  place,  a  building  destined  to 
answer  the  double  purpose  of  a  church  and  dwelling  house. 

Father  Guertin  was  called,  in  1912,  to  take  up  the  parish  of  St.  Emile.  and  his 
place  since  then  has  been  filled  by  Rev.  A.  Desroches  who  had  already  made  a  stay 
in  this  diocese,  at  Beaumont,  and  after  returning  to  his  own  diocese,  had  been  obliged, 
on  account  of  his  health,  to  come  back  again. 

Rev.  A.  Desroches  is  still,  1914,  in  charge  of  the  parish  of  St.  Vincent,  which  is 
steadily  growing  and  boasts  about  70  families. 

I  1.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  LOUIS. 
(BONNYVILLE  P.  O.) 

Rev.  Father  Bonny  went  from  St.  Vincent,  in  1910,  to  the  district  of  Moose 
Lake,  where  he  organized  a  new  parish,  as  there  were  already  a  good  number  of  settlers. 
The  first  building  used  as  a  church  was  nothing  more  than  a  log-house  covered  with  sod. 
Anything  of  a  more  primitive  character  could  hardly  be  found  anywhere.  Meanwhile 
the  priest  lived  with  a  private  family.  A  post  office  was  opened  and  called  Bonnyville. 

For  a  long  time  there  were  discussions  and  wranglings  about  the  proper  site  for  a 
church.  Finally  the  question  Wcs  settled  by  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  and  Rev.  J.  M. 
Boucher,  a  priest  of  the  diocese  of  Three  Rivers,  who  had  succeeded  Rev.  Father  Bonny 
was  in  a  position  to  build  a  house-chapel,  at  a  more  central  place.  The  ceremony  of 
Confirmation  took  place  in  the  church,  which  occupies  the  ground  floor  of  the  building 
on  the  13th.  of  August  1913. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


91 


Before  leaving  this  part  of  the  country,  there  remains  to  be  mentioned  quite  a  num 
ber  of  places  which  are  intended  to  become  in  the  near  future,  the  centres  of  new 
Catholic  parishes.  The  two  lines  of  railways  passing  through  this  district:  the  branch 
of  the  C.  N.  R.  though  St.  Paul  des  Metis  and  the  line  of  the  Alberta  and  Great 
Waterways,  heading  for  Lake  La  Biche  and  Fort  McMurray,  are  opening  up  splendid 
stretches  of  agricultural  and  grazing  lands,  and  our  colonisation  agents  are  directing 
their  efforts  towards  the  filling  up  of  these  new  territories. 

We  can  only   mention   some  of  the  many   centres  of  these  parishes  of  the   future: 

1.  Near  St.    Paul   des   Metis:   St.   Edward,   Flat   Lake. 

2.  North    of   St.    Vincent:    St.    Agnes,    St.    Lina,    St.    Alfred. 

3.  Near    Little    Beaver    River:    Grandin.    Lac   Charron. 

4.  Near    Lake    Cardinal :    Normandeau. 

5.  Near  Lake  La  Biche:   Lake  La  Biche  South,  Grande  Baie. 

6.  N.W.   of   Lake   La   Biche:    Plamondonvilie. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  centres  that  are  occupied  already  by  a  large  number  of 
Catholic  families,  and  which  are  to  be  increased  and  developed  as  fast  as  possib'e. 


LORD  STRATHCONA  and  FATHER  LACOMBE. 


92 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


CHAPTER  V. 


Recent  Parishes  and  Missions 


ON  THE  C.  P.  R. 


We  will  take  the  city  of  Edmonton  as  a  radiating  centre   for  the  description  of  all 
the  remaining  parishes  on  all  the  railway  lines. 

1.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  BENEDICT. 
LEDUC. 

St.  Benedict's  parish  at  Leduc  had  been  in  existence  for  some  time  before  having 
a  resident  priest.  Leduc  is  a  station  on  the  Calgary  and  Edmonton  branch  of  the 
.  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Strathcona.  The  name  of  Leduc  was  given  to 
this  station  in  honor  of  Rev.  Father  Leduc,  vicar  general  of  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert,  and 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  civilization  in  the  northwest.  This  locality  was  visited  by  Fr. 
Nordmann  from  1896,  when  there  were  only  a  dozen  Catholic  families  at  Leduc' itself 
and  within  a  radius  of  twelve  or  fifteen  miles  Mass  was  ordinarily  said  at  Mr.  Jeers' 
house  or  in  the  town  hall. 

In  1 896  steps  were  taken  to  build  a  church.  Rev.  Fr.  Leduc  arranged  for  the 
purchase  of  five  lots  in  a  pretty  location  near  the  little  lake,  which  is  one  of  the 
attractions  of  the  district  and  a  little  church  measuring  24x24  feet  was  soon  erected. 
Bishop  Grandm,  himself,  came  to  bless  it  and  dedicated  it  to  St.  Benedict,  on  the  last 
?-Un<ca3u-In  Septemben  Rev"  Falher  Leduc  Preached  the  sermon  of  the  occasion  and 
hr.  Ethier,  then  parish  priest  of  Beaumont,  sang  the  high  mass.  From  this  time  foward 
the  latter  was  appointed  to  visit  this  post  regularly.  In  the  spring  of  1900  Rev.  Fr. 
Nordmann,  then  resident  priest  at  Strathcona,  again  took  charge  of  the  mission  until 
)4,  when  Rev.  Fr.  Van  Wetten,  residing  at  Wetaskiwin.  commenced  to  visit  this 
post  as  well  as  others  along  the  line  as  far  as  Lacombe.  The  religious  services  were 
provided  regularly  every  fourth  Sunday  of  each  month.  The  little  church  was  at  first 
divided  by  a  partition  so  as  to  serve  partly  as  dwelling  for  the  priest,  but  a-  the 
father  ordinarily  lodged  with  Mr.  Owen  McKay,  or  Mr.  W.  Mogg.  where  he  was 
always  cordially  welcomed,  this  partition  became  useless  and  in  1906  it  was  removed. 
Then  the  church  was  finished,  its  interior  varnished  and  its  exterior  painted.  It  also 
received  a  set  of  the  stations  of  the  Way  of  the  Cross,  a  confessional,  some  benches,  an- 
Dther  altar  and  the  ornamentation  of  some  statues.  The  five  lots  of  land  belonging  to 
the  church  were  leveled  and  surrounded  with  palings.  At  this  time,  another  acre  of 
lands  was  bought,  from  Mr.  Mathias  Schweckrath,  two  and  one-half  miles  from  town, 
to  serve  as  a  cemetery.  Personal  gifts  and  a  subscription  furnished  the  necessary  funds 
for  the  payment  of  these  expenses. 

In  1909  Rev.  Father  Alex  De  Lestre,  another  Premonstratensian  father,  having 
:ome  from  Belgium,  took  charge  of  the  parish  of  Leduc.  He  built  a  small  presbytery 
cottage.  When  he  was  sent  to  Coleman,  a  new  priest  was  supplied  for  Leduc  in 
the  person  of  Rev.  Terence  Caraher,  who  remained  in  charge  only  till  sometime  in 
912,  when  Rev.  Father  J.  Riou,  O.M.I.,  took  temporary  charge  of  the  religious 
interests  of  the  Catholic  population. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  93 


Now,  in  1914,  Rev.  Fr.  F.  X.  Teck,  also  a  Premonstratensian  father,  from  Grim- 
bergen,  is  the  parish  priest  of  Leduc. 

2.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.   NORBERT.      (MILLET). 

Millet,  from  the  name  of  the  celebrated  painter,  is  a  station  on  the  Calgary  &  Ed 
monton  line  about  30  miles  south  of  Strathcona.  Before  the  year  1903,  Rev.  Father 
A.  Jan,  of  Edmonton,  visited  the  few  Catholics  of  the  neighborhood  at  times,  saying 
Mass  in  a  private  house.  In  1903  Rev.  Father  Van  Wetten,  of  Westaskiwin,  was  en 
trusted  with  this  place.  He  came  at  rare  intervals,  only,  indeed,  when  there  was  a  fifth 
Sunday  in  the  month,  and  he  gave  the  service  in  the  town  hall  or  in  the  school. 

The  first  Catholic  settler  of  Millet  was  Mr.  J.  P.  Mullen.  During  the  year  1905 
attention  was  directed  towards  securing  land  suitable  for  building  a  church  there,  and 
the  choice  fell  upon  a  pretty,  rising  ground  at  a  little  distance  to  the  west  of  the  town. 
In  1906  a  subscription  list  was  opened  to  which  all  the  population,  even  Protestants 
generously  responded.  Mr.  Mullen  subscribed  $200  and  Mr.  Gregoire,  proprietor 
of  the  hotel,  and  Mr.  West,  a  Protestant,  $100  each.  A  concert  organized  on  the 
first  of  April,  1907,  by  Rev.  Fr.  Walravens,  with  the  assistance  of  the  mandolin 
orchestra  of  the  young  Indian  girls  from  the  Hobbema  school,  brought  in  $213.  In 
the  course  of  1907  the  contract  of  building  a  church  measuring  36x24  feet  was  con 
cluded  with  Mr.  Kovar,  of  Millet,  and  the  church  was  finished  by  August,  costing 
$1,550.  On  the  first  day  of  December,  Bishop  Legal  came  to  give  the  solemn  blessing 
and  to  dedicate  it  to  St.  Norbert,  the  founder  of  the  religious  order  of  the  Premonstra- 
tensians,  to  which  belong  the  Fathers  of  Wetaskiwin.  The  good  townsfolks  of  Millet 
well  deserved  the  eulogies  they  received  on  this  coccasion  for  their  generosity. 

The  statue  of  St.  Norbert,  which  ornaments  the  altar,  is  the  gift  of  the  Abbey 
of  Grimbergen  in  Belgium.  Rev.  Fr.  Van  Wetten  provided  the  sacred  vessels  and  the 
priestly  vestments,  the  Way  of  the  Cross  and  the  altar  linen,  etc. 

The  church  at  Millet  is  still  attended  to  and  visited  by  the  priest  from  Leduc. 
After  Rev.  Father  Van  Wetten  it  was  Rev.  Father  DeLestre,  then  Rev.  T.  Caraher 
and  temporarily  Rev.  Father  J.  Riou,  O.M.I.  Now  in  1914  it  is  Rev.  Father 
F.  X.  Teck  also  a  Premonstratensian  father. 

3.— THE  PARISH  OF  THE  SACRED  HEART.     (WETASKIWIN). 

The  mission  at  Wetaskiwin,  40  miles  south  of  Edmonton,  dates  from  the  construc 
tion  of  the  railroad  from  Calgary  to  Edmonton.  The  first  regular  train  passed  through 
in  May,  1902.  Mr.  L.  C.  Miquelon  was  the  first  settler  in  this  locality.  On  his 
arrival  there  he  said  to  one  of  his  companions,  "You  will  see,  we  shall  have  a  line  here 
coming  from  Winnipeg  and  passing  by  Wetaskiwin  to  the  west.  Let  us  settle  down  in 
this  place."  He  was  not  such  a  bad  prophet.  This  line  from  Winnipeg  has  been  an 
accomplished  fact  since  1908.  The  name  Wetaskiwin,  given  to  the  railway  station, 
signifies  "Peace."  It  comes  from  the  neighboring  hills,  called  the  "Peace  Hills,'  in 
memory  of  a  treaty  of  peace  formerly  concluded  there  between  the  Crees  and  the 
Blackfeet. 

It  was  in  the  autumn  of  this  same  year,  1892,  that  Rev.  Fr.  Leduc,  accompanied 
by  Mr.  Miquelon,  chose  half  a  block  of  land  for  the  church.  The  number  of  Catholics 
was  still  very  limited.  Besides  Mr.  Miquelon,  Mr.  Frank  Lambert  and  a  few  others 
had  their  own  houses  in  the  neighborhood.  Rev.  Fr.  Gabillon,  of  the  Hobbema  mis 
sion,  ten  miles  to  the  south,  came  from  time  to  time  to  say  mass  for  fifteen  or  sixteen 
persons  who  were  present.  In  1894,  Bishop  Grandin  entrusted  the  growing  parish  of 


94  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Wetaskiwin  to  Rev.  L.  Poitras.  A  little  church  measuring  30  x  22  feet  was  built, 
and  the  space  intended  for  the  sanctuary,  served  as  the  dwelling  for  the  priest.  He 
took  his  meals  with  the  Miquelon  family,  where  he  was  always  cordially  welcomed. 
The  Catholic  population  increased  somewhat  rapidly,  for  in  1 895  there  were  already 
25  families,  nearly  all  French  speaking.  In  1896  Rev.  L.  Poitras  was  replaced  by 
Rev.  Fr.  Dubois,  but  he  resided  at  first  at  Hobbema  and  served  the  Wetaskiwin  mis 
sion  from  that  place.  By  reason  of  his  frequent  journeys  he  had  to  be  often  replaced 
by  Rev.  Fr.  Beillevaire  of  Duhamel,  or  by  Rev.  Father  Lizee  and  Simonin  in  the 
course  of  1896  to  1898. 

The  first  little  presbytery  was  bought  from  a  Mr.  Young  for  $50  and  was  moved 
on  the  church  property.  This  house  measured  1  6  x  12  feet.  Rev.  Fr.  Dubois 
undertook  to  add  to  it  a  little  chapel,  which  he  wished  to  render  handsome,  but  he 
had  not  time  to  accomplish  it.  He  also  constructed  a  good  stable,  expecting  to  have  a 
horse,  which  seemed  very  necessary,  but,  the  horse  not  coming  as  soon  as  was  ex 
pected,  the  stable  was  turned  into  a  dwelling  house.  Though  it  might  possibly  have 
been  warm  enough  for  a  stable,  it  was  not  so  for  a  dwelling  house  in  winter. 

In  1 899  Fr.  Dubois  surrounded  all  the  mission  property  with  a  good  fence,  one 
of  the  prettiest  in  the  town,  and  he  placed  a  good  loft  and  galleries  in  the  church  which 
had  become  too  small.  In  1901  he  was  busy  organizing  a  "Separate  School"  district. 
The  first  teacher  was  Mr.  Connolly  and  the  church  served  as  his  class  room,  in  which, 
also,  the  work  was  afterwards  continued  by  Mr.  Quinlan  till  1903.  Then  the  district 
built  a  good  school  house  by  the  side  of  the  church.  In  the  autumn  of  1905  Mr.  Quinlan 
was  replaced  by  Miss  Anna  Lannon,  who  remained  in  charge  until  September,  1907. 
Then  the  school  attendance  was  so  far  increased  as  to  necessitate  two  mistresses,  and 
the  school  hall  was  divided  into  two  portions.  Miss  Lucy  Campbell  and  Miss  Lily 
Arnoldi  continuing  the  good  work.  In  1902  Fr.  Dubois  had  to  go  to  Eastern  Canada 
on  a  begging  quest  on  behalf  of  the  poor  missions  of  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert.  Rev. 
Father  C.  Vandendaele  came  twice  a  month  from  Hobbema,  to  supply  the  religious 
services  during  his  absence. 

His  Lordship,  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert,  offered  this  still  humble  post  of  Wetaskiwin 
to  the  Rev.  Premonstratensian  Fathers  of  the  Abbey  of  Brimbergen,  in  Belgium,  and 
on  September  2,  1902  Rev.  Fr.  Van  Wetten,  who  had  already  been  in  the  diocese 
for  nearly  three  years,  took  charge  of  the  mission.  The  house  was  so  cold  that  in 
November  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  it  and  to  seek  refuge  with  a  family  of  the  parish. 
In  the  course  of  the.  winter,  the  stable  was  moved  nearer  to  the  former  house;  the  little 
private  chapel  was  finished,  and  by  joining  all  these  together  a  continuous  dwelling  was 
arranged,  of  which  Fr.  Van  Wetten  took  possession  on  March  1st,  1903.  In  the 
spring  of  this  year  he  built  a  little  stable  with  the  aid  of  three  of  his  parishioners.  In 
the  course  of  the  year  the  church  was  provided  with  benches  and  the  interior  decorated 
with  the  help  of  the  ladies  of  the  Altar  society.  Finally,  in  November,  1904,  electric 
lights  were  installed.  I  he  cemetery  land,  containing  two  acres,  was  bought  from  Mr. 
Mathias  Iheroux  for  $100.  It  is  situated  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  town. 

From  July  7th,  1914,  there  have  been  two  Premonstratensian  Fathers  at  Wetas 
kiwin.  On  this  date  Rev.  Fr.  Walravens  arrived  from  the  Abbey  of  Grimbergen,  ac 
companied  by  a  lay  brother  and  he  proceeded  to  take  over  the  parish  work  while  Fr. 
Van  Wetten  served  the  different  missions  along  the  railway  from  Strathcona  to  Lacombe. 
Lately  he  has  also  undertaken  the  charge  of  the  branch  line  from  Wetaskiwin  to 
Daysland,  thus  occupying  all  his  time  in  apostolic  journeyings.  We  will  by  and  by 
say  a  few  words  on  the  different  posts  visited. 

The  town  of  Wetaskiwin  has  lately  been  greatly  extended.  The  church  had  be 
come  too  small  and  it  was  decided  in  1908  to  build  a  larger  and  more  convenient  one, 
for  which  plans  had  been  prepared.  The  new  church  which  was  to  cost  upwards  of 
$8,000,  was  built  in  the  year  1912.  The  subscription  organized  toward  the  building 


HISTORY    OF    THK    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


was  generously  supported,  and  the  new  church  built  of  solid  brick  is  a  handsome  struct 
ure,   the  best  church  in  the  whole  town. 

Moreover,  the  Community  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Assumption  of  Nicolet  has  con 
sented  to  take  the  direction  of  the  separate  school  and  to  establish  a  convent  of  their 
order  so  that  the  progress  of  this  parish  is  assured. 

4.— THE  MISSION  OF  ST.  AUGUSTIN.      (PONOKA). 

Ponoka  is  a  station  of  the  C.  P.  R.,  situated  60  miles  south  of  Strathcona.  Its 
name  is  derived  from  its  proximity  to  the  River  La  Biche,  "Red  Deer,"  in  Blackfoot, 
Ponoka.  Nevertheless  the  little  river  which  winds  its  picturesque  and  sinuous  course 
through  the  valley  is  not  the  River  La  Biche,  but  the  Battle  River. 

In  1904  steps  were  taken  to  secure  four  town  lots  upon  which  to  erect  the  future 
church.  The  first  priest  to  visit  the  few  scattered  Catholics  in  this  direction  was  Rev. 
Fr.  Lizee,  of  Hobbema;  later  on  Rev.  Fr.  Dauphin  succeeded  him.  Mass  was  usually 
iaid  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Kennedy,  two  miles  to  the  north-west  of  Ponoka.  A  little 
later  Rev.  Fr.  Dubois  also  came  to  provide  religious  services.  These  were  held  at  that 
time  in  the  Royal  hotel,  which  belonged  to  Mr.  Laurendeau  and  was  kept  by  Mr.  Camille 
Miquelon.  Since  1902  the  service  was  held  every  third  Sunday  of  each  month  in  the 
C.  O.  F.  hall,  first  by  Rev.  Fr.  Vandendaele  and  afterwards  by  Rev.  Fr.  Van  Wetten. 
In  1907,  a  subscription  list  was  opened  and  generously  supported,  the  sum  of  $700 
being  realized.  All  the  wood  for  the  frame  work  was  given  by  Mr.  J.  Hageman. 
Building  operations  commenced  early  in  1908,  and  were  successfully  carried  out.  Con 
firmation  took  place  in  the  church  on  the  27th  of  July,  1909. 

The  church  measures  40  x  24  feet.  The  number  of  Catholics  is  not  large,  about 
20  persons  in  the  town  and  18  families  within  a  circle  of  eight  miles  around. 

A  large  insane  asylum  has  been  located  at  Ponoka  which  requires  also  the  visit 
of  the  priest. 

5.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  STEPHEN.      (LACOMBE). 

Lacombe  is  a  station  of  the  Calgary  &  Edmonton  Railway,  or  C.  P.  R.,  situated 
about  80  miles  south  of  Strathcona.  Its  name  is  derived  from  the  celebrated  missionary 
of  that  name,  who  is  so  popular  and  well  known  in  all  the  Northwest,  as  well  among 
the  Indian  tribes  as  among  those  of  other  nationalities.  Rev.  Fr.  Dubois,  residing  at 
Wetaskiwin,  used  to  come  three  or  four  times  a  year,  to  visit  the  few  Catholics  scattered  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  ordinarily  he  celebrated  mass  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Kangiezer,  six 
miles  west  of  the  town.  Mr.  John  McKenty's  family  were  the  first  Catholics  to  settle 
at  Lacombe,  on  the  first  of  July,  1900.  From  this  date  the  religious  service  was  held 
at  their  house  until  the  erection  of  the  church. 

After  Fr.  Dubois,  the  next  priest  in  charge  of  Lacombe  was  Rev.  F.  C.  Van 
dendaele,  of  Hobbema.  The  company  of  the  Calgary  &  Edmonton  line  and  Mr. 
Edward  Barret  made  a  gift  of  two  town  lots  destined  for  the  future  church,  and  in 
1903  a  beginning  was  made  to  collect  funds  for  its  construction.  In  the  month  of 
June  Mrs.  McKenty  and  her  sister  organized  a  concert  which  brought  in  $80  and  a 
committee  was  formed  to  gather  subscriptions.  The  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  gave  substantial 
assistance  and  soon  they  had  in  hand  $745.  The  contract  was  given  to  Mr.  Mobley, 
of  Lacombe,  for  the  sum  of  $845. 

In  1905  some  improvements  were  effected.  The  priest's  house  adjoining  the 
church  was  finished.  The  church  was  plastered  and  completed  inside,  thus  necessitating 
other  expenses,  so  that  the  church  easily  represents  the  sum  of  $1,400  or  $1,500.  Rev. 
Fr.  Vandendaele  succeeded  in  furnishing  it  with  many  objects  necessary  for  Divine  Wor 
ship.  The  church  was  solemnly  blessed  and  dedicated  to  St.  Stephen  on  the  16th  of 
August,  1903,  by  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  the  Right  Rev.  Emile  Joseph  Legal. 


95 


96  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


In  the  month  of  January,  1905,  the  post  of  Lacombe  was  entrusted  to  Rev. 
Father  Van  Wetten,  of  Wetaskiwin,  who  used  to  go  thither  every  second  Sunday  of 
the  month.  Now  Rev.  Father  H.  Voisin  attends  to  this  mission  from  Red  Deer.  1914. 
The  Catholic  population  has  not  appreciably  increased  these  last  few  years.  Some 
families  have  come,  but  others  have  departed.  There  are  only  about  a  dozen  of 
families  wholly  Catholic  within  a  radius  of  five  or  six  miles  around  the  town.  How 
ever,  this  town  is  expected  to  assume  importance,  for  it  is  on  a  branch  of  the  C.  P.  R. 
running  towards  the  east,  in  the  direction  of  Regina,  connecting  with  the  road  to  St 
Paul,  Minn. 

6.— THE   CATHOLIC   PARISH   OF   RED   DEER. 

Red  Deer  is  a  large  town  about  half  way  between  Edmonton  and  Calgary.  It 
had  been  thought  that,  on  account  of  that  convenient  distance,  the  town  being  located 
on  a  fine  and  large  stream,  the  Red  Deer  River,  and  in  a  beautiful  valley  hemmed 
on  every  side  by  wooded  hills  of  picturesque  aspect,  would  rapidly  develop  to  be  a 
large  city.  The  increase,  however,  has  not  been  as  fast  as  was  expected.  But  now, 
in  1914,  with  several  branches  of  railways:  C.  P.  R.,  C.  N.  R.,  Alberta  Central  R.[ 
meeting  here,  every  indication  points  to  very  rapid  progress  in  the  near  future. 

Tne  Rev-  Fathers  of  Our  Lady  of  Tinchebray  are  now  in  charge  of  the  parish. 
I  his  order  of  priests  were  prepared  to  undertake  work  of  higher  education  in  France. 
I  hey  had  indeed  fine  institutions  and  colleges,  which  were  closed  by  the  fanaticism  of 
the  present  Government  of  France.  They  sought  admission  to  this  diocese  and  were 
very  cordially  welcomed. 

At  first,  however,  they  had  thought  of  devoting  their  energy  to  the  foundation  of 
an  agricultural  institution  or  orphanage.  This  did  not  seem  to  be  a  very  pressing  need 
in  this  country  and  they  consented  to  take  charge  of  parish  work. 

I  he  episcopal  corporation  had  already  acquired  some  property;    (about  one  block) 
m  the  centre  of  the  town.      Rev.   Father  Voisin,  while  residing  at  Innisfail,   managed  to 
build    a    small    church,    and    the    religious    service    became    regular,    once    or    twice    every 
month. 

But  Rev.  Father  Voisin  had  larger  ambitions  for  the  parish  of  Red  Deer.  As 
he  noticed  that  Innisfail  was  not  progressing  as  fast  as  Red  Deer  he  decided  to  make 
his  headquarters  in  the  latter  place,  and  he  looked  for  a  place  where  he  could  have 
not  only  the  church  but  also  a  convent  of  some  Sisterhood,  at  the  same  time  as  the 
house  01  their  order  and  a  college. 

He  bought  a  property  across  the  river  not   far   from  the  bridge,  which  was  suitable 

tor  the  purpose  of  a  convent  and  college.      It  is  located  on  a  very  high  hill  overlooking 

From   the  top  the  view  indeed  is  splendid,   but  it   is   a   tiring  climb   to   reach 

summit  of  the  hill,   so   the  place   though   well   adapted    for   a   college  and   a   convent 

oardmg  school,  is  not  so  convenient  for  a  parish  church  and  eventually  the  parish  church 

will   have  to  be  located  again,   at  the  place    formerly  intended    for  it. 

However,  the  concrete  basement  of  a  new  church  was  started  on  the  top  of  the 
hill  on  a  piece  of  the  property  that  was  bought  from  the  community  by  the  Bishop  of 
Albert  and  the  religious  service  from  that  time,  1908,  took  place  in  this  basement 
which  had  been  roofed  in.  Rev.  Father  H.  Voisin  had  commenced  also  the  building 
of  a  small  college,  which  was  called  St.  Mary's  Apostolic  school,  in  their  own  house 
for  about  12  pupils. 

The  Rev.  Sisters  of  Wisdom  came  in    1908,   and  a  fine  convent  had  been  erected 
for  them.       I  hey  soon  took  possession  of  it,  and  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Sister  M 
Agathe,    first    superioress    they    began    teaching    the    Catholic    separate    school,     for    day 
pupils    and  also   for  their  own  boarders.      Progress  has  been  steadily  going  on,  so  that, 
in    1     13,   it  became  necessary  to  enlarge  the  convent   to   double  its  capacity. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  97 


On  the  other  hand  the  Rev.  Fathers  have  also  seen  their  work  progressing  and  in 
the  present  year,  1914,  they  have  erected  another  large  building,  to  provide  class  rooms 
for  the  students  of  the  Apostolic  school. 

The  parish  is  in  charge  of  Rev.  Father  Voisin,  assisted  by  Rev.  Father  P.  J. 
Chauvin,  for  the  visitation  of  numerous  outposts. 

The  college  of  St.  Mary,  since  March  1909,  has  been  under  the  direction  of 
Rev.  Father  P.  Lamort  who  recently  received  an  assistant  in  the  person  of  Rev. 
Father  Mortreux. 

Besides,  the  Rev.  Fathers  from  Red  Deer  attend  to  several  other  posts  or  missions, 
as  Innisfail,  Olds,  Sylvan  Lake,  etc.,  etc. 

/. — Innisfail. 

Red  Deer,  however,  had  not  been  the  first  parish  of  which  the  Rev.  Fathers  of 
Tinchebray  assumed  charge.  It  was  Innisfail.  Rev.  Father  H.  Voisin  came  there 
soon  after  their  arrival,  in  the  diocese.  There  was  then  at  this  place  quite  a  little  colony 
of  French  speaking  Catholics,  from  France  or  from  Eastern  Canada:  Messrs.  Hermary, 
Lerouge,  Humbert  and  other  families.  The  little  town  seemed  to  be  promising  enough, 
and  a  small  presbytery  was  built,  as  well  as  a  small  church  which,  in  fact,  has  neve; 
been  completed.  The  Catholic  population  indeed,  in  place  of  increasing  began  to 
dwindle  away,  and  in  1907,  the  Rev.  Fathers  moved  to  Red  Deer,  continuing  however  to 
look  after  the  congregation  of  Innisfail. 

Rev.  Father  Voisin  had  been  assisted  in  the  beginning,  by  Rev.  Father  Paul 
Chauvin  who  never  enjoyed  very  robust  health.  In  1906  he  developed  serious  illness 
and  he  had  to  go  to  the  Holy  Cross  hospital,  in  Calgary,  where,  after  a  short  time,  he 
died  a  holy  death,  in  August,  1906.  This  was  a  very  sad  loss  for  the  congregation  of 
the  Fathers  of  Tinchebray.  Rev.  Father  P.  Chauvin  was  the  first  to  depart  from 
the  missionary  field  to  go,  before  the  eleventh  hour,  to  receive  the  reward  of  the 
missionary. 

Since  then  Rev.  Fathers  Anciaux,  Lamort  and  others  and  lately,  1914,  Rev. 
Father  P.  J.  Chauvin  have  been  caring  for  the  Catholic  congregation  of  Innisfail. 

2.— Olds. 

Olds,  18  miles  south  of  Innisfail,  has  also  been  attended  to  by  the  Rev.  Fathers 
from  Innisfail,  and  lately  from  Red  Deer. 

3. — Sylvan    Lalfe. 

Sylvan  Lake,  about  30  miles  west  of  Red  Deer,  had  already  a  small  Catholic 
Congregation  and,  in  the  course  of  the  year  1913,  a  nice  little  church  was  built  through 
the  energy  of  Rev.  Father  H.  Voisin.  It  has  a  fine  view  of  the  beautiful  lake,  which  is 
becoming  quite  a  favorite  summer  resort. 

7.— THE  PARISH  OF  OUR  LADY  OF  PERPETUAL  HELP. 

(STETTLER). 

The  C.  P.  R.  branch  line  of  Lacombe  has  been,  from  the  beginning  given  in 
charge  of  the  Rev.  Fathers  of  St.  Mary  of  Tinchebray.  Rev.  Father  P.  Bazin,  the 
first  to  visit  this  locality,  and  then  his  brother  priest  although  not  belonging  to  the  com 
munity  of  the  Rev.  Father  of  Tinchebray,  have  attended  to  the  religious  needs  of  the 


98 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


population.  Before  there  was  any  church  built,  religious  service  took  place  generally 
at  the  home  of  Mr.  Sewerd,  a  devoted  family  always  happy  to  receive  God's  represen 
tative,  in  the  person  of  the  priest. 

Some  time  in    1908  Rev.   Father  J.   Bazm  remained  alone  at  Stettler  and  managed 
build  a  nice  commodious  church,   dedicated   on   the    17th  of  April,    1910    under  the 
name  of  Our   Lady  of   Perpetual   Help. 

While   taking   care   of   the   parish   he   had   also   to   visit   numerous   other  places.      In 

Rev.   Father  J.   Bazin  s  health  began  to  fail.      He  went   for  a  trip  to  Europe,  and 

was   obliged    to    submit    to    a    regular    treatment.      He    was    unable    to    come    back. 

the  parish   has   been    regularly   visited    from    Red    Deer   by    Rev.    Fr.    Voisin. 

8.— THE  PARISH  OF  OUR  LADY  OF  GRACES.      (CASTOR). 

Castor  is  also  on  the  C.  P.  R.  Lacombe  branch,  85  miles  east  of  Lacombe.      The 

mission    has    been    entrusted    to    Rev.    Father    L.    Leconte    of    the    congregation    of    Our 

idy  of    Iinchebray.      He  came   there  in    1910.      Then   were   bu.lt   a   small   presbytery 

and   a   church   which   is   also   too  small    and   hardly   sufficient    for   the   accommodation   of 

Catholic  population.         his  place  having  been   for  some  time  the  terminus  of  the  line 

was  growing  very   fast  and  on   the  occasion  of  his  first  pastoral   visit  there,   April   23rd,' 

1911,    the    Bishop    of   St.    Albert    administered    the    sacrament    of    Confirmation    to    105 


n       cer!!  C°nse,nted  /°  °Pen  a  hospital  in  Castor,  came  there 

II.  and  soon  steps  were  taken   for  the  erection  of  a  fine  building   for  the 
The  institution  is  located   on   a   convenient  plot  not    far    from   the  church,    and 
.  was  opened  without  delay    under  the  direction  of  Rev.   Sister  St.    Pol.xene,    as  super 
A  hospital   at   that  place  ,s  a   boon  not  only    for   the   town,   but   also    for  all    the 
surrounding  country.      Rev.   father  L.   Leconte  has  an  enormous  district  to  visit  and    for 

Rev  TT6  A      "  a'UT  ueen  aTtecl  by  S°me  °ther  members  of  h's  congregation 
Father  nX  "^    '9'4'  by  ReV"  Father  R  Renut  and  Rev- 


Amongst  the  places  visited  we  may  ment.on:  Halk,rk,  Gadsby,  Botha,  and  Erski 
on    the  west;    Coronation     Throne,    Veteran,    Loyalist,    and   Consort    on    the   east     L 

'  aV°]  ' 


R  h 

and  ma^y  otheVs  '         '"^  °r6man'  ^"^P^   Leo,   Ingleton    Evvmg 


r  IW°  °f-  ^f  Plfcer  ReV",  Father  LeC°nte  has  ^ceeded  in  securing  a  sum  of 
or  memorial  chapels,   from  the  Church  Extension  society  of  Canada.      These  are: 

\.—Hallfirl(.       (Church    of   St.    Peter). 

The  church  at  Halkirk  was  built  in  the  course  of  last  year,  1913,  and  has  bee 
fully  furnished  with  altar,  vestments  and  sacred  vessels  by  the  Lad,es  Auxiliary  of  he 
hurch  Extension.  This  was  valuable  assistance  to  a  new  mission  for  which  every  hmg 
has  to  be  provided  Of  course  outs.de  of  the  donation  of  $500  from  the  Church 
Extension  the  people  had  also  to  contribute  for  the  completion  of  their  church-  so  that 
the  church,  now  completed,  represents  a  value  of  at  least  $1,800. 

2.  —  Consort.      (Church   of  St.   Andrew). 

The  gift  of  $500  from  the  Church  Extension  for  a  memorial  chapel  at  Consort 
has  just  been  received;  ,t  ,s  a  donation  from  Miss  E.  M.  Behan,  in  memory  of  her  two 
brothers.  The  church  ,s  to  be  built  .mmediately  and  will  be  called  St  Andrew's 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


99 


REV.  FATHER  LACOMBE,  O.M.I 

The    Black   Robe  Voyageur. 


100 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


9.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  ANN  OF  THE  PLAINS.     (TROCHU). 

Trochu  is  not  on  the  C.  P.  R.  line,  but  on  a  branch  line  of  the  G.  T.  P.  from 
Edmonton  to  Calgary,  via  Tofield;  but  as  it  is  situated  in  the  district  entrusted  to  the 
Rev.  Fathers  of  Tmchebray,  we  will  give  an  account  of  it  at  the  present  time,  in  order 
to  dispose  of  all  these  missions  confided  to  that  religious  order. 

Trochu  is  like  Red  Deer,  a  parish  transferred  to  the  Rev.   Fathers  of  Tinchebray 
titulo  perpetuo."     The  name  of  Trochu  is   from  the  well  known  General  Trochu  who 
was   in   command   at    Pans,    after   the   commune   of    1871.      A   nephew   of   his   had   just 
ttled    in    this   district   and   several    French   officers   and    other    French    families   had   con 
gregated    there.       There    were    amongst    others:    Mr.    Ekenfelder,    Mr.    Theodoli      Mr 
higarol,    Mme   Butruille,   Ctesse   de  Cathelineau   and   other  members   of   the    family       A 
company  had  been  formed  under  the  name  of  The  St.  Ann  Ranch  Co.,  a  creamery  had 
been  organized  and  the  little  colony  seemed   full  of  hope  and  enthusiasm. 

The,nt;-7An?,  Ra,nch   C°-    gaVC    a    town   lot    for   a    church    site-      The   church   was 

'07.       Rt.    Rev.    BIShop    Legal    went,    about    that    time    to    visit    the    parish 

He    was    met    at    some    distance    from    the    little    town    and    driven    "a    la    Daumont" 

by    three   spans   of   gray    horses,    and    a    full    artillery    equipage.       No    Governor-General 

had    ever    been    driven    in    such    grand    style    across    the    prairies    of    the    West        The 

church  was  solemnly  ded.cated  on  the  23rd  of  July,    1907,  under  the  name  of  St.  Ann 

Plains.      The  St.  Ann  Ranch  Co.   had  also  advanced  the  sum  of  money  needed 

for    the    construction    of    the    church.       This    church    when    blessed    was    far    from    being 

hn.shed  and  daylight  could  be  seen  through  the  walls,  which  were  only  of  one  pl.ght  of 

boards. 

The  congregation  of  the  Rev.   Fathers  of  Tmchebray  were  given  also  by  the  same 

.mpany  two  town  lots  adjoining  the  church  and  thereupon  they  built  a  small  presbytery. 

Rev.   Fr     P.    Bazin   had  been  in  charge  of  the  parish    from   the  beginning       After 

few   years    he   was    able    to    replace    the    primitive    house    used    as    a    presbytery    by    a 

more  substantial   residence. 

In  1909  the  question  of  a  hospital  for  Trochu  was  seriously  considered  and  by  the 
end  of  the  year  the  Sisters  of  Charity  of  Evron  who  had  assumed  the  work,  were  al 
ready  on  the  spot.  They  immediately  commenced  their  work  of  charity  in  a  tern- 
orary  building,  the  old  boarding  house  generously  lent  by  the  St.  Ann  Ranch  Co  The 
first  superioress  was  Rev  Sister  M.  Recton,  destined  to  be  the  first  Mother  Provincial 
of  this  Sisterhood  in  the  North-West  of  Canada. 

Soon  steps  were  taken  for  the  erection  of  a  permanent  hospital  on  a  fine  site  donated 

by  the  company,  and  m    1 9 1  1 ,  on  the  occasion  of  another  visit   from  the  Bi,hop  of  St 

Albert  the  hospital-convent    now  a  large  and  substantial   frame  building,   was  ready    for 

occupancy  and  solemnly  blessed.      There  still   remained  the  veneer  to  be  applied  on  the 

1  his  has  been  done  since  and  this  veneer  made  of  small  cement  blocks  gives 

the  whole  institution   a   monumental   appearance. 

Rev.  Father  Bazin    since  the  last  chapter  of  the  order  of  the  Fathers  of  N.  D    de 

tinchebray.    August.    1913,    has    been   appointed   superior   of   all    the   members   of  'said 

congregation  residing  m  the  west  of  Canada.     He  had  prepared,  during  the  fall  of  191  3 

or  an  early  start,  ,n  the  spring  of    1914,  on  the  building  of  another  and  larger  church 

t  one  having  become  quite  inadequate  to  the  needs  of  the  population.     The  excava- 

"lf  fli     H?    't         °Ut>        l   °n    aCC°Unt   °f    the    busmess    ^Pression    which    has   made 
elt,  it  has  become  necessary  to  postpone  the  undertaking. 

SO —THE   PARISH  OF  ST.   FRANCIS  XAVERIUS.      (CAMROSE). 

Now  coming  back  to  another  branch  of  the  C.   P.    R.,   starting   from  Wetaskiwin, 
we  hnd,  25  miles  east  of  the  last  named  town,  Camrose. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  101 


Camrose  had  been  visited  from  Wetaskiwin  by  Rev.  Father  F.  Van  Welten  of 
the  order  of  the  Premonstratensians.  Before  the  erection  of  a  church,  the  religious 
services  used  to  be  held  at  Mr.  F.  Adan's  residence,  where  the  priest,  whoever  he  was, 
was  sure  to  receive  a  hearty  welcome.  When  the  town  was  first  organized  Mr.  F.  Adan 
gave  one  acre  of  land  for  the  church  and  the  Episcopal  Corporation  bought  three  more 
acres 

During  the  year  1909.  Rev.  Father  F.  Van  Wetten  managed  to  build  a  good 
and  substantial  church  which  was  duly  blessed  by  Bishop  Legal  on  the  12th  of  De 
cember  of  the  same  year  and  given  the  name  of  St.  Francis  Xavenus. 

Since  then  the  parish  has  been  regularly  visited,  a  couple  of  times  every  month; 
but  it  has  not  been  possible,  so  far,  to  establish  a  resident  priest. 

Camrose  seems,  however,  to  be  destined  to  grow  into  a  large  city.  The  C.  N.  R. 
company  has  another  townsite,  at  some  short  distance  from  the  actual  town,  and  there 
is  its  station  on  a  subdivision  called  Noyen  and  belonging  to  Mr.  Rene  Lemarchand, 
of  Noyen,  France. 

The  G.  T.  P.  branch,  from  Edmonton  to  Calgary  also  passes  through  the  town 
which  is  consequently  quite  a  railway  centre  already,  and  cannot  fail  to  become  a 
very  important  town. 

11.— THE   PARISH  OF  ST.   MARK.      (DAYSLAND). 

Daysland  is  a  station  situated  52  miles  east  of  Wetaskiwin  on  the  branch  of  the 
C.  P.  R.  going  east  to  Winnipeg  via  Saskatoon.  There  are  as  yet  only  about  six  or 
neven  Catholic  families,  and  the  place  had  been  originally  visited  from  time  to  time  by 
th*  Rev.  Oblate  Fathers  of  the  German  colony  of  Spring  Lake,  eight  miles  to  the 
south. 

In  the  course  of  the  year  1907,  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  acquired  from  Mr.  Day, 
the  founder  of  the  town,  three  blocks  of  land  for  the  sum  of  $1,000.  One  of  these 
blocks  was  destined  for  a  hospital  under  the  management  of  a  religious  community  of 
nuns.  The  Rev.  Sifters  of  Providence,  from  Kingston,  had  assumed  this  work  and  they 
arrived  early  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1908.  Having  taken  up  their  temporary  quarters 
in  a  private  house,  they  soon  began  the  erection  of  the  permanent  hospital,  which  was 
completed  in  the  course  of  the  year. 

The  hospital,  although  not  very  large,  is  equipped  with  all  modern  improvements 
and  can  accommodate  about  twenty  patients.  It  is  a  fine  and  substantial  building  of 
solid  brick  and  easily  the  best  structure  to  be  found  in  the  town. 

At  the  same  time  as  the  hospital  a  small  church  was  also  erected  on  one  of  the 
blocks,  in  front  of  the  hospital  with  a  room  adjoining,  for  the  residence  of  the  priest. 
The  bishop  of  Si.  Albert  advanced  the  sum  necessary  for  the  building  of  the  church, 
viz.  $1,000,  and  the  church  was  solemnly  blessed  on  the  25th  of  April,  1909,  and 
given  the  name  of  "he  Apostle  and  Evangelist  St.  Mark. 

Rev.  Father  F.  Van  Wetten,  order  of  Premonstratensians,  was  appointed,  from 
the-,  beginning,  parish  priest,  and  chaplain  of  the  hospital,  with  the  added  duty  of  visiting 
the  large  district  north  and  east  of  Daysland. 

Rev.  Father  Van  Wetten  having  started  for  a  trip  to  Europe,  in  June,  1909,  his 
place  was  filled  by  Rev.  Father  F.  X.  Teck,  O.  Proem.,  who  remained  there  until 
March,  1914,  when  Rev.  Father  Jos.  Mulders  came  to  take  charge  of  the  parish  and 
of  the  district. 

Rev.  Father  Mulders  attends  to  the  following  missions  along  the  line  of  the  railway: 
Strome,  Killam,  Langheed,  Hardisty,  Amisk,  Nilrem,  and  tries  to  hold  religious  services, 
in  each  place,  a  couple  of  times  every  month. 

Strome  is  the  most  important  of  all  these  ports.  A  church  had  been  built  there,  and 
it  was  solemnly  blessed  on  the  30th  of  May,  1910,  and  called  St.  Joseph. 


102 


,1,H!STCRy    °F    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 

12.—  THE  PARISH  OF  ST.   BONIFACE.      (SPRING  LAKE). 

The  colony   of  Spring  Lake  begins   about   50   miles  east   of  Wetaskiwin.      Its  ex- 

carcely  dates  back    further  than   ten   or   twelve  years.      At   that   time   there  were 

families  scattered  on  this  lonely  tract,  and  it  was  no  small  affair  for  them  to 

go  ov'«°n*  £  Wetaskiwin  or  to  some  other  point  on  the  Calgary  and  Edmonton 

a"  ll 


out 


At    the   beginning   of   the   year    1904    the    construction    of    a    railway    runnina    from 

skiwin  ana  going  m  an  easterly  direction  to  Winnipeg  was  assured!  and  thfs  gav" 

an  .rnpo.tance  to  this  part  of  the  country  to  which  new  colonists  flocked.      Some  German 

Sort  J  LkkeT/   'T^117    fl"°T    ^inneSOtf    and    Dak°ta<    turned    their   ^    toward 

X       he'  firs    nQ    r      ff          Par'ICU  M   I  ^    f°Ur   tOWnshipS'      THe   Centre   °f   the   C°lony 
first  pos    office  was  established,   was  m  the  neighborhood  of  a  charming  little 


o     Snrinl  nU™OU*    **>          «"    te 

Sp  ing   Lake.      These   Germans   were   not   Catholics   in   name   only.      They    de- 

o  It*  Albe  I  \   f       P°l         '  U°nC  ,°f.jheLir.°Wn  IangUage"      H'S  LordshiP'  ^shop   Legal, 

:  ?;  t^.11^  Sr          e 


man'  new    to 


However    m    1905,   Rev.   Fr    W    Shulte  was  entrusted  with   the  charge  of  organ 
the  parish  of  Spring  Lake,      On  his  arrival   he  had  everything  to  do.      There  was 
neither  a  church  nor  a  priest's  house.     At  the  end  of  three  years,  by  dint  of  persever7n« 
efforts     he    had    succeeded    in    erecting    a    good    church    and    a    small    dwellfng    house 
The   church   is  a  good-sized  building  of  wood,    with   a   stone    foundation.      It   could   not 
fuUj  completed,   but  such  as  a  was  it  was  looked  upon   as  an   important  edifice 

Meanwhile  the  German  population  of  Spring   Lake   and   the  neighborhood   stead.lv 
increased  and  several  centres  were  formed  on  different  s.des.      Rev.   Fr.   Schulte      as  no 
longer   able   to   do   the   work   alone,   and   ,n    March   or  April,    1906,    after   Easter     Rev 
r-r.    t,.    INelz,   a   recent   arrival    from   Germany,   was   sent   to   him   as   his   con  l' 

the   autumn   of    1907   the   staff   was   changed.'      Rev,    Fr.    Luhe  wa     caH  to  be    t 
assistant   to   Rev.    Fr.    Lemarchant   at   the   new  parish   of   the   Immaculate   Conception    a 

Se 


Catholics.       He    Wa 


Rev.  Fr.  Nelz  was  also  called  away  to  Pmcher  Creek  to  serve  a  little  Germ- 
mission  on  the  Kootonais  River,  and  he  was  replaced  by  Rev.  Fr.  Bie  er  who  ha 
recently  arrived  from  Germany,  Octover  1st,  1907. 

r    ^li^A^STiT^i  IncCOmP]etTln§    the   ch^ch,    in    the   course   of   the 
A  beautiful   statue   of   the   Sacred    Heart   surmounts   the   h.gh    altar-    two 

for  the  choir"'  P''°      ^  ^  ^'°  C°nfessionals'  a  —  °n  rail  and  a  galley 

he   tower  has  been  completed  with   a   strong  and   elegant  steeple.      The   bell   also 

ihe  firsi 


A  new  presbytery  aiso  had  been  built   in    1909,    and   completed  in    1913     but  t 
an_ unfortunate  fire  which  originated  from  defective  pipes,   the  whole  bu.lding  was  com 
pletely  destroyed,   on   the  29th   of  January,    1914.      The  church,   however    was   saved 
he  population   of  Spring   Lake  is  now  about   550   souls,   but   the  whole   German 
i. strict  is  already  large  enough   for  two  new  parishes  which  have  no  resident  pries      a 
yet.    but    are    attended    to    from    Spring    Lake.      These    are- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


I.      St.    Peter,    whose    church   was   blessed   on    the    31st   of    May,    1910,    and   2. 
Wanda,   also  provided  with  Us  church.      There  are  three  Catholic  schools  in  the  district 
of  Spring  Lake  and  these  schools  are  regularly  visited,   every  week,   by   the  priests   fror 
Spring   Lake. 

After  the  destruction  of  the  presbytery  a  building,  which  is  intended  to  be  the 
sacristy,  was  built  by  the  side  of  the  sanctuary  of  the  church  and  is  used  as  a 
resident,  for  the  present.  Rev.  Father  Schultz,  O.M.I.,  who  had  been  assistant 
to  Rev.  Father  Seltmann,  since  December  1911,  has  been  obliged  to  go  and  take 
the  place  of  Rev.  Father  A.  Forner,  at  Rosenheim. 

13.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  NORBERT.     (ROSENHEIM). 

Not  far  from  the  eastern  limit  of  the  diocese  there  are  three  other  parishes  or 
missions,  provided  with  their  churches:  Cadogan,  Provost  and  Rosenheim.  The  priest 
resides  at  Rosenheim,  although  this  place  is  some  8  or  1 0  miles  south  of  the  railway. 

Rev.    Father   A.    Forner,    O.M.I.,    has   been,    for   many    years,    in    charge    of    this 
district,   and  especially  of  the  mission  of   Rosenheim   which   is  more   important   than   the 
others,   being   a   compact   German   settlement.      The   church   or   rather   house   chapel,    at 
Rosenheim,  was  built  in  the  course  of  the  year    1909.      The  2nd  floor  of  the  house  i 
used  as  a  church    for  the  parish. 

Cadogan  and  Provost  have  their  own  churches  and  are  attended  to  from  Rosenheim. 

Cadogan  church  is  dedicated  in  the  name  of  St.  Joseph;  all  the  expenses  have 
been  paid,  and  there  is  no  debt  on  the  church. 

Provost  church  has  not  been  blessed  as  yet,  as  there  remains  a  large  indebtedness 
on  the  building,  some  $1,500.  This  shows  that  it  is  not  safe  to  allow  the  church  com 
mittees  a  too  free  a  hand,  because  they  are  liable  to  incur  heavy  expenses,  and  then 
leave  all  the  worry  for  the  priest. 

South  Rosenheim  is  another  German  colony,  which  has  caused  some  trouble  to  the 
priest  by  reason  of  their  reluctance  to  submit  to  the  rightful  authority. 

In  May,    1914,  Rev.   Father  Forner  started   for  a  trip  to  Germany,   and  has  b 
replaced   by    Rev.    Father   Schultz,    O.M.I. 


103 


104 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Recent  Parishes  and  Missions 


ON  THE  C.  N.  R. 


I.— PARISH  OF  OUR  LADY  OF  ANGELS. 
(FORT  SASKATCHEWAN). 


When  the  Franciscans  came  to  this  diocese,  in  1908,  it  was  intended  that  they 
would  have  their  principal  monastery  at  Fort  Saskatchewan  which  seemed  at  the  time 
the  most  advanced  and  promising  town,  outside  of  Edmonton.  These  expectations 
however,  did  not  materialize,  as  Fort  Saskatchewan,  then  the  seat  of  a  large  detach 
ment  of  the  R.  N.  W.  M.  Police  with  extensive  barracks  has  not  grown  to  a  very 
large  extent.  It  is  only  eighteen  miles  distant  from  Edmonton  on  the  C.  N.  R  line 
going  east,  and  the  larger  city  has  evidently  proved  to  be  too  near  to  the  smaller  town 
and  has  attracted  all  business  to  itself. 

Edmonton  having  developed  beyond  the  most  sanguine  expectations  it  had  become 

necessary  to  organize  new  parishes  and  it  was  thought  advisable  that  the  main  monastery 

the   hranciscan   Fathers  should   be   located    in    Edmonton   where    they   could   be   more 

easily  reached  from  everywhere,  to  be  applied  to   for  sermons,   retreats,  or  other  religious 

works. 


which  had  been 
1909,  they  kept 
church  was  soon 
from  the  police 
by  far,  the  most 
number  of  them, 
of  May,  1910, 


However,    they    did    not    want    to    completely    abandon    the    Fort, 
their    first    mission    in    this    country,    and,    in    the    course    of    the    year' 
busy  in  order  to  build  there  a  spacious  and  commodious  church.      The 
built   of  solid   brick,   on   one   acre   of   land   granted   by   the   Government 
reserve.      It  is  complete  with   a   tower  and   an   elegant  steeple,    and   is, 
conspicuous  of  all  the  churches  of  the  town,  where  there  are  a  goodly 
It    was    solemnly    blessed    by    Rt.    Rev.    Bishop    Legal,    on    the    8th 
and  has  received  as  titular  name  "Our  Lady  of  the  Angels." 

An    attempt    had    been    made,    at    the    same    time    to    organize    a    Catholic    separate 
school  district    but  this  only  resulted  in  showing  the  strength  of  the  Orange  organization 
the  town;  the  attempt  was   frustrated,  on  account  of  some  irregular  proceedings. 

The  parish  of  Fort  Saskatchewan  has  continued  ever  since  to  be  served  from 
the  monastery  at  North  Edmonton  by  some  of  the  Fathers  in  succession,  viz.,  Rev 
Father  Simon,  Rev.  Father  Hilarion,  Rev.  Fr.  Boniface  and  others. 

Besides  the  town  of  Fort  Saskatchewan  the  Rev.  Franciscan  Fathers  also  look 
after  the  spiritual  welfare  of  many  settlers  scattered  in  the  whole  district  surrounding 
rort  Saskatchewan. 

Rev.  Father  Martin,  O.F.M.,  visits  regularly  Cookville  and  Myrtle  Creek  Pine 
Creek,  Red  Water,  Chipman  and  Ross  Creek,  Lamont  and  Scotford. 

Rev.  Father  Denis  O.F.M.,  until  June,  1914,  was  in  charge  of  numerous 
Polish  stations,  viz.,  Krakow,  Wostok,  Skaro,  Mundare,  Egremont,  Waugh,  Chayly. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  105 


2.— THE  PARISH  OF  ST.   MARTIN.      (VEGREVILLE). 

Towards  the  month  of  May,  1894,  some  families  in  Kansas,  hearing  of  the  Can 
adian  Northwest,  decided  to  come  and  found  a  new  parish.  To  avoid  difficulties  and 
vexatious  delays,  they  arranged  to  send  ahead  some  persons  of  trust  who  should  choose 
the  site  of  the  future  Canadian  centre.  These  were  Messrs.  Joseph  Poulin  and  Benoit 
Tetrault.  At  St.  Boniface  these  gentlemen  met  Mr.  Martin,  a  surveyor,  who  had 
recently  been  sub-dividing  on  behalf  of  the  government  the  region  of  the  River  Vermil 
ion,  to  the  east  of  Edmonton.  He  spoke  to  them  with  enthusiasm  of  this  part  of  the 
country,  putting  before  them  a  statement  which  has  since  become  celebrated  in  the  dis 
trict:  "This  valley  is  the  veritable  garden  of  the  Northwest."  At  Calgary  the  deputa 
tion  was  increased  by  the  addition  of  a  new  member,  Mr.  Theodore  Theroux,  and  it 
arrived  at  Edmonton  on  the  22nd  of  March.  They  then  started  on  their  way  to  the 
River  Vermilion,  but  the  bad  state  of  the  roads  hindered  their  project.  They  were  so 
enchanted,  however,  with  the  quality  of  the  lands  through  which  they  passed  that  they 
succeeded  in  persuading  the  other  intending  settlers  to  come  also.  The  rest  arrived  at 
Edmonton  on  the  4th  of  April,  and  there  they  met  the  Abbe  Morin,  who  was  then  the 
colonization  agent  for  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert,  and  who  decided  to  accompany  the 
courageous  immigrants. 

On  the  18th  of  April  they  started  to  explore,  and  proceeded  as  far  as  Egg  Lake 
and  then  to  St.  Paul  des  Metis,  but  they  determined  to  settle  in  that  place  which  Mr. 
Martin  had  called  the  "Garden  of  the  North-west."  The  Rev.  Fr.  Morin  planted  a 
little  flag  on  the  selected  place  and  then  they  returned  to  Edmonton  for  their  baggage. 
On  the  29th  of  April  all  the  party  assisted  at  a  mass  celebrated  by  Father  Morin  and 
then  they  departed,  accompanied  by  the  good  wishes  of  numerous  friends.  It  was  on 
the  2nd  of  May  that  they  arrived  at  the  site  chosen,  where  the  little  flag  was  still  waving. 
The  first  comers  settled  on  Townships  51  and  52,  Ranges  14  and  15,  West  of  the 
4th  Meridian. 

It  was  a  country  that  had  been  uninhabited.  It  was  about  70  miles  east  of  Ed 
monton  and  all  this  space  was  still  uncultivated  and  unpeopled.  The  first  thing  they 
did  was  to  make  sure  of  a  suitable  place  for  the  erection  of  a  church,  for  already  they 
foresaw  in  the  near  future  a  flourishing  Canadian  parish.  But  the  new  settlers  did  not 
arrive  as  quickly  as  they  had  calculated.  They  had  still  some  trials,  disease  and  loss 
of  animals.  They  became  partly  discouraged.  The  first  labors  were  undertaken  on 
the  19th  of  May.  They  sowed  oats,  barley  and  vegetables,  but  the  cultivation  of  wheat 
did  not  commence  until  much  later,  in  1897.  It  was  sown  in  April  and  succeeded  very 
well. 

To  the  names  of  the  first  French  Canadian  settlers  mentioned  above,  we  must  add 
those  of  other  nationalities:      Messrs.  August  Hartman,   John  and  James  Stanton,   who 
§§  arrived  a  little  later,   and  can  be  equally  placed   among  the  number  of  the  pioneers  of 

Vegreville. 

'!!';>  It  was  on  the  14th  of  June,   1894,  that  the  settlement  had. the  consolation  of  receiv 

ing  the  first  visit  of  a  priest,  Rev.  Fr.  C.  Boulenc,  O.M.I.,  then  a  missionary  on  the  Lac 
La  Selle  reserve,  some  40  miles  north,  who  came  from  time  to  time  to  give  his  religious 
aervices  to  this  good  population,  to  celebrate  mass  and  to  give  Holy  Communion.  There 
were  then  only  ten  communicants.  Rev.  Fr.  Boulenc  thus  continued  his  visits  for 
some  years,  to  the  consolation  of  these  poor  exiles  in  the  midst  of  these  vast  uncultivated 
prairies. 

In   addition   to   these   services   this   little,   modest   settlement,    did   not    forget   its   re- 

-JHJ=  ligious  duties,   for  the  little  journal  edited  by  the  Poulin   family,  notes  that  they  recited 

their  morning  and  night  prayers  in  common,  and  that,  on  the  Sundays  they  gathered 
twice  to  recite  the  Rosary. 

IS 


106  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


The  second  visit  of  a  priest  was  that  made  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Dorais  of  Notre 
Dame  de  Lourdes,  who  came  on  the  occasion  of  the  death  of  a  child,  the  first  victim 
which  death  had  made  among  the  settlers.  Rev.  Fr.  Dorais  stayed  many  days  with 
them,  and  on  the  5th  of  July,  1894,  he  sang  the  first  High  Mass  which  had  been 
celebrated  in  this  settlement. 

The  same  day,  Mr.  Theodore  Theroux,  who  had  been  a  teacher  in  British 
Columbia,  accepted  the  invitation  they  had  extended  to  him  of  opening  the  first  school, 
which  they  named  the  Catholic  Independent  school.  Rev.  Samuel  Bouchard  also  oc 
casionally  visited  the  settlers.  The  first  official  census  was  made  by  the  Mounted  Police 
from  Fort  Saskatchewan  on  the  14th  of  August,  1894  and  gave  88  inhabitants,  and 
in  the  October  following  steps  were  taken  to  secure  a  post  office.  The  name  proposed 
was  that  of  St.  Joseph  de  Mazenod,  but  this  was  not  accepted,  the  name  of  Vegreville 
being  chosen.  I  his  was  the  name  of  one  of  the  old-time  missionaries  of  this  country. 
The  post  office  was  opened  early  in  1895. 

The  first  marriage  celebrated  in  the  settlement  was  that  of  Mr.  Eugene  Poulin 
and  Mir,  Philomene  Minard,  and  took  place  on  March  I  Oth,  1895.  The  new  colony 
was  now  well  established,  but  new  trials  awaited  it.  Great  prairie  fires  raged  over  the 
countryside,  destroying  the  wood  for  building  purposes  and  consuming  the  harvest.  It 
was  necessary  for  the  Government  to  come  to  the  assistance  of  the  settlers  in  supplying 
them  with  provisions  and  seeding  grain  for  the  following  year.  Happily  this  was  the 
end  of  their  difficulties. 

From  this  time  their  progress  was  so  rapid  and  the  attention  that  they  attracted 
on  this  land  was  such  that  numerous  colonists,  of  whom  very  many  were  Protestants, 
invaded  the  whole  district.  Thenceforward,  Vegreville  became  a  centre  of  the  whole 
valley  of  the  Vermilion  river.  By  it  passed  all  the  roads  which  ran  across  the  great 
prairies  of  this  country. 

Bishop  Legal  visited  Vegreville  for  the  first  time  on  30th  of  July,  1901,  after 
a  memorable  journey  across  the  district  which  was  completely  inundated  by  torrential 
rams.  He  would  have  turned  back  on  the  road,  twenty  times,  except  for  the  knowledge 
that  there  was  there  awaiting  him  a  sick  person  needing  the  consolation  of  religion.  His 
Lordship  approved  of  the  site  that  had  been  chosen,  with  a  view  to  building  a  church, 
but  he  could  not  provide  a  resident  priest.  The  colony,  therefore,  continued  to  be 
visited  almost  regularly  every  two  weeks  until  1904. 

At  the  commencement  of  1904  an  event  of  great  importance  took  place,  for  the 
development  of  Vegreville  from  the  religious  point  of  view.  After  repeated  applications 
to  the  Rev.  Dom  Paul  Benoit,  Superior  of  the  Canons  Regular  of  the  Immaculate 
Conception  in  Manitoba,  and  to  the  Rev.  Dom  Grea,  founder  and  first  Superior  General 
of^the  order,  it  came  to  be  decided  that  an  establishment  should  be  ventured  upon  at 
Vegreville,  and  Bishop  Legal  came  himself  to  accompany  thither  the  first  missionary 
destined  for  the  place,  Rev.  Dom.  Augustin  Bernier,  Can.  Reg.  I.  C. 

They  arrived  at  Vegreville  on  January  9th.     They  found  ready  to  be  to  let  a  lengthy 
work-shop  built  of  unhewn  logs  and  covered  with  earth  whereon  the  weeds  grew  in  great 
profusion       The  building  measured   14  feet  in  width,  30  feet  in  length  and  6  or  7  feet  in 
||  height.     It  was  poor  and  mean,  but  it  furnished  three  rooms,  two  of  which  communicated 

so  as  to  provide  the  gathering  place  for  the  population  on  Sundays.  The  southern  ex 
tremity  was  straightway  converted  into  a  chapel,  and  Rev.  Dom  Bernier  undertook  his 
work  with  an  energy  and  courage  ready  for  all  emergencies. 

After  spring  they  set  about  organizing  the  erection  of  a  chapel  on  the  land 
belonging  to  the  church.  The  big  timber  had  to  be  carried  a  distance  of  forty  miles- 
the  finishing  timber  from  Edmonton,  a  distance  of  seventy  miles.  In  the  month  of 
April  the  chapel  was  standing,  and  however  unfinished,  it  could,  nevertheless  be  used 
ror  worship  and  was  placed  under  the  patronage  of  St.  Martin,  the  great  wonder  worker 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


At  the  end  of  this  same  year,  1904,  a  companion  was  sent  to  Fr.  Bermer  in  the 
person  of  the  Rev.  Dom  J.  Gamier,  C.R.I. C.  From  this  time  they  could  engage  in 
more  regular  visits  to  some  little  groups  of  Catholics  at  some  distance — the  Missions 
of  St.  Benoit,  sixteen  miles  north,  and  Notre  Dame  de  Mt.  Carmel,  ten  miles  to  the 
south-east,  in  the  district  of  Birch  Lake. 

It  was  to  be  hoped  that  the  Canadian  Northern  railway  line  coming  from  Win 
nipeg  to  Edmonton  would  pass  quite  near  the  village  which  had  now  assumed  a  certain 
iinDortancc.  There  were  already  two  hotels,  two  smithies,  many  stores,  some  real 
estate  offices  and  two  banks.  But  towards  the  month  of  October,  1905,  it  was  per 
ceived  that  the  railroad  was  about  four  miles  distant  and  from  the  place  fixed  for  the 
station  about  four  and  one-half  miles.  We  must  own  that  it  was  a  great  disappoint 
ment  that  caused  some  confusion  in  the  midst  of  this  already  ambitious  population. 
There  was  hesitation  for  a  time,  as  they  wished  to  keep  to  their  old  place,  but  soon 
they  were  forced  to  yield  to  necessity  and  they  took  a  resolution  at  once  heroic  and 
American.  A  little  after  there  could  be  seen  a  dozen  houses  moving  across  the  prairie. 
It  was  nearly  the  whole  of  the  village  of  Vegreville  that  was  then  being  transfered 
to  the  new  site  chosen  for  the  station.  At  the  end  of  1905  the  railway  was  inaugur 
ated.  Almost  immediately  the  population  was  doubled,  and  in  a  few  months  later  the 
settlement  was  incorporated  as  a  village. 

It  was  the  Catholic  parish  of  Vegreville  that  held  out  the  longest,  at  the  old  site, 
but  the  old  Vegreville  was  being  more  and  more  deserted,  and  it  became  evident  that 
there  was  nothing  left  to  do  but  allow  themselves  to  follow  the  current.  The  Episcopal 
Corporation  then  reserved  twenty  acres  in  a  good  location  in  proximity  to  the  new  town 
to  be  ready  for  all  developments. 

The  former  village  having  little  by  little  disappeared,  Bishop  Legal,  after  having 
sent  Rev.  Fr.  Leduc,  his  Vicar-General,  to  render  an  account  of  the  situation,  decided 
to  remove  the  centre  of  the  parish  and  establish  it  definitely  at  the  new  town.  The 
Episcopal  decision  was  read  from  the  pulpit  on  Easter  Sunday,  1906. 

A  house  was  built  on  the  new  spot,  measuring  42  x  26  feet,  and  had  to  serve 
the  double  duty  of  a  church  in  the  upper  part  and  a  dwelling  house  on  the  ground 
floor.  It  was  used  even  as  a  school  house.  A  subscription  list  was  immediately  opened 
for  the  construction  of  a  new  church  and  in  six  weeks  the  sum  of  $1,100  was  collected. 
The  church  was  begun  on  the  23rd  of  October  of  this  year,  1906,  measuring  80  x  3 
feet  and  was  sufficiently  advanced  to  be  blessed  by  Bishop  Legal  on  the  16th  of 
December,  following. 

But  the  population  now  asked  for  a  convent  and  a  hospital  under  the  care  of 
nuns.  Rev.  Fr.  Bernier  put  himself  into  communication  with  many  religious  communities 
and  went  to  Manitoba  for  the  purpose,  but  without  result.  He  then  learned  that  the 
"Daughters  of  Providence,"  a  French  community  of  nuns,  originally  of  St.  Bneuc  m 
Brittany,  were  just  disbanding  one  of  their  establishments  at  Prince  Albert.  Fr.  Bernier 
immediately  approached  the  Sisters  and  it  was  decided  that  these  religious  should  come 
to  Vegreville  to  found  a  convent  there.  The  "Omnibus"  house,  of  which  we  have 
spoken  above,  was  immediately  put  in  order  to  become  the  temporary  convent  and  on 
the  14th  of  October,  1906,  there  arrived  the  first  three  "Daughters  of  Providence 
Rev.  Mother  Adelaide,  who  was  also  the  Provincial,  and  two  Sisters,  St.  Leonard  and 
Madeleine.  At  the  same  time  the  Rev.  Fathers  built  a  very  small  house  in  front  of 
the  church  to  which  they  transferred  themselves. 

The  school  district  was  legally  organized  under  the  name  of  the  Separate  School 
District  of  St.  Martin,  with  classes  to  open  in  the  month  of  January,  1907,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Sisters  and  a  young  teacher,  Miss  Doyle,  who  had  already  with 
much  success  taught  the  former  school  of  Vegreville. 

The  school,  commencing  with  twelve  children,  saw  its  numbers  augmented  to 
forty  in  the  course  of  the  year  1907.  There  were  twenty-five  boarders,  so  it  became 


108  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


necessary  to  think  of  building  a  new  convent  on  a  more  spacious  plan  with   two   floors 
measuring  50  x  60  feet.      Operations  were  begun  on  the  22nd  of  August.      A  few  days 

UN6  vt°WLVCr'   °n   the    "th  °f  Au§ust'    there   had   taken   Place   ^e   blessing  of   a    fine 
bell.      I  his  bell,  weighing  1,500  pounds,  was  the  generous  gift  of  one  of  the  parishioners 
Hartmann.      On    the    day   of    the   blessing    there    were    two    Bishops    at    Vegreville. 
Bishop    Pascal,    of    Prince    Albert,    had    graciously    replied    to    the    invitation    of    Rev 
The    bell    was    blessed    by    Rt.    Rev.    Bishop    Legal,    and    His    Lordship, 
ishop    Pascal,    administered    the    Sacrament    of    Confirmation    in    the    afternoon.       Rev. 
rr.    Leduc,    Vicar-General,    assisted    with    some   other   priests. 

The  convent,  begun  in  the  month  of  August,  was  opened  on  the  16th  of  December 
the  anniversary  of  the  blessing  of  the  church.  The  separate  school  course  was  carried 
on  there  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Doyle,  engaged  by  the  District,  and  by  the  Sisters 
now  numbering  nine.  In  addition  to  the  ordinary  class  matters  there  were  special  courses 
given  in  religious  instruction,  music,  drawing,  embroidery,  sewing,  etc. 

Another  member  of  the  Canons  Regular  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  Rev 
hather  Maur  Mourey  had  also  come  to  help  in  the  work  of  the  parish.  But  soon  after 
e  difficulties  arose  in  the  administration  of  the  order,  and  on  account  of  substantial 
changes  that  had  been  introduced  into  its  constitutions,  the  Holy  See  gave  to  all  the 
members  full  liberty  to  severe  their  connection  with  it.  The  three  reverend  fathers  at 
Vegreville,  accordingly,  decided  to  be  seculiarized,  and  Rev.  Father  Mourey  accepted 
another  post  in  the  province  of  Saskatchewan. 

For  some  time  it  had  been  the  desire  of  the  whole  population  at  Vegreville,   Prot- 

slants  as  well  as  Catholics,  that  the  nuns  should  undertake  the  management  of  a' public 

I  he  Daughters  of  Providence  could  not  accept  the  offer  as  they  are  rather  a 

purely  teaching  order;  but  another  community  was    found   to  take  up   the  work.      These 

are  the  Sisters  of  Charity  of  Lvron,    a   community   that   originated   at   Evron,    the  native 

place  of   Rev.    Father   H.    Leduc,    in    France. 

I  he   work   of   building   the   new   hospital    commenced    in    the   year    1910     and   pro 
gressed   so    favorably   in    the    following  year,    that    the   institution   was    ready    for   openin- 
before  the  end  of    1911.      The  hospital  was  blessed  by  Rt.   Rev.    Bishop  Legal,  on   the 
^  September.      It  is  a  splendid  solid  brick  building  with  a  concrete  basement,   and 
equipped  with  all  modern  appliances,  even  to  its  own  electric  light  plant.      It  accommo 
dates   at    least    30   patients.      Rev.    Sister    Marie   Victoire   was    the    first    superioress-    she 
has  been  succeeded  by  Rev.   Sister  M.   Jouin  with  a   staff  of  8  sisters,   and  other  help 
Ihe  convent  attendance  had  also  grown  to  more  than    100  pupils,   of  whom   there 
e   about    60   boarders,    so   the   building   was   not    large   enough    for    the   classes       The 
isement,  which  had  been  built  under  the  church  in  the  course  of  the  year    1912    was 
used  for  one  of  the  classes.      Even  with  this  additional  space  there  is  still  need  for  more 
that   the   trustees  of   the   separate   school    are   building,    this  year,    1914,    a    fine   brick 
school,   of  SK   large   class   rooms,    for   the   accommodation   of   the   Catholic   pupils   of   the 
district.       1  his  school  should  be  ready  about  the  time  the  classes  regularly  open       Rev 
Mother    St.    Adelaide,    assisted    by     1  3    sisters    and    3    lady    teachers,    has    been    at    the 
head   of    this    institution    since    its   establishment. 

Six  months  after  its  incorporation  as  a  village,  Vegreville  was  incorporated  as  a 
town,  and  it  has  now  a  population  of  about  1500  inhabitants.  It  has  many  fine  streets 
the  principal  one  being  lighted  by  natural  gas  found  inside  the  town  limits  There 
are  numerous  important  buildings,  stores,  banks,  law  offices,  doctors,  and  agencies  of 
various  kinds.  Many  handsome  and  wealthy  private  residences  are  also  to  be  found  in 
the  town. 

The  Catholic  population  of  Vegreville,  at  the  beginning  of  this  present  year   1914 
jV3Sj  j  •  one  third  of  the  total  population;   but   as  the   Protestant  population   is 

divided  in  so  many  denominations  the  Catholics  form  the  most  important  religious  group. 
Ihe  Catholic  institutions,  moreover,  are  at  present  much  more  important  than  all  the 
rest,  and  from  all  points  of  view  the  Catholic  position  is  strong  and  assured. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  109 


Rev.  Father  J.  Gamier  having  been  appointed  parish  priest  of  Our  Lady  of 
Lourdes  in  November,  1913,  Rev.  Father  Bernier  had  been  left  alone  for  some 
time,  to  discharge  all  the  duties  of  pastor;  in  June  last,  Rev.  Father  M.  Schmtzler 
was  sent  as  his  assistant. 

One  man  indeed  could  not  do  all  the  work  of  the  parish,  as  besides  the  services 
to  the  two  religious  communities  of  the  convent  and  the  hospital  there  is  also  a  large 
district  to  be  attended  to,  especially  Lavoy,  Ranfurly,  Innisfree,  where  there  are 
several  Catholic  families. 

3._PARISH  OF  THE  HOLY  NAME  OF  JESUS.     (VERMILION). 

This  post  had  been  visited  from  Vegreville,  but  in  September  1909,  Rev.  H. 
Goutier,  a  secular  priest,  was  sent  to  attend  to  it,  and  try  to  organize  a  new  parish. 
Rev.  H.  Goutier  had  been  already  in  the  diocese  for  a  couple  of  years.  He  had 
come  with  his  parents  and  stayed  with  them,  on  their  farm,  not  far  from  Inmsfail,  where 
he  had  charge  of  a  small  group  of  French  Catholics;  when  called  to  this  post  of  Ver 
milion  he  remained  for  a  few  months  at  Vegreville  with  Rev.  Father  Bernier,  and  soon 
took  steps  to  build  first  a  small  presbytery  and  then  a  little  church  suitable  for  the 
Catholic  population  of  the  place.  The  church  was  built  in  1910  and  dedicated  to  the 
Holy  Name  of  Jesus. 

Rev.  H.  Goutier  has  remained  ever  since  (1914)  at  the  head  of  the  parish  and 
his  family  has  come  also  and  taken  a  new  farm  not  far  from  the  town. 

Besides  Vermilion,  Rev.  H.  Goutier  also  looks  after  several  other  posts  and  mis 
sions,  especially  Islay,  Kitscoty  and  Lloydminster. 

4.—  THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  ANTHONY.     (LLOYDMINSTER). 

Lloydminster  is  a  town  situated  just  on  the  boundary  line  of  the  two  provinces  of 
Alberta  and  Saskatchewan.  In  fact  the  eastern  half  of  the  town  is  in  the  province  of 
Saskatchewan,  while  the  western  half  is  in  Alberta.  The  foundation  of  this  town  is 
due  to  a  party  of  Englishmen  who  had  come,  under  the  direction  of  a  certain 
Mr.  Barr,  and  was  known  as  the  Barr  Colony.  These  people  had  to  undergo 
severe  hardships,  coming  without  any  experience  of  this  country  and  not  in  the  least 
prepared  for  the  new  kind  of  life  they  had  to  pursue.  The  winter,  after  their  com 
ing  was  particularly  trying  for  them.  They  lacked  everything,  and  the  government 
had  to  provide  for  them  shelter  and  provisions.  A  good  many  went  back  to  England, 
but  the  majority  stayed,  and  in  spite  of  all  difficulties  they  began  to  thrive  and  prosper. 

The  few  Catholics  amongst  them  were  too  poor  to  go  to  the  expense  of  building 
a  church.  Fortunately  a  grant  from  the  Church  Extension  society  of  Canada  made  the 
building  of  the  church  possible.  This  was  a  gift  of  $500  for  a  memorial  chapel,  from 
Mr.  Hirst,  in  memory  of  his  son  Anthony,  and  the  church  was  duly  called  St.  Anthony. 
It  was  built  in  1910;  and  this  parish  is  regularly  visited  from  Vermilion  by  Rev.  H. 
Goutier. 


5.—  THE  PARISH  OF  TAWATINAW. 

Tawatmaw  is  a  new  place  on  the  C.  N.  R.  line,  from  Edmonton  to  Athabasca 
Landing,  about  35  miles  south  of  the  last  named  place.  In  the  course  of  1913  a 
number  of  Catholics  had  located  about  there  and  in  the  surrounding  district,  and  they 
petitioned  to  have  a  resident  priest.  The  priests  of  the  congregation  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Jesus,  having  had  their  number  increased  by  three  new  arrivals  from  Europe, 


10 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


it  became  possible  to  commission  one  of  said  congregation  for  the  organization  of  the 
new  parish.  Rev  Father  Jos.  Huet,  S.C.J.,  was  therefore  entrusted  with  the  task. 
He  began  to  visit  the  :  locality  in  the  summer,  about  June,  and  soon  after,  July  1914 

5  $M       P       7  D'ldLng    nllUle  reSldenCe  and  3  Church  °n  a  Pjece  of  la"d  donated 

by  Mr.  Pomerleau.  Brother  Berger  of  the  same  congregation  will  do  most  of  the 
work,  saving  thereby  much  of  the  expense. 

6.—  THE  PARISH  OF  ST.  GABRIEL.     (ATHABASKA). 

The    Mission    at    Athabaska    Landing    now    called    simply.    Athabaska,    is    situated 

on  the  southern  banks  of  the  Athabaska  river,  about  95   miles  north  of  Edmonton,   and 

near   the  northern   boundary   of   the   Diocese  of  St.    Albert.      Owing   to   its   geographical 

position    it    enjoys    a    certain    importance    from    a    commercial    point    of    view.       It    is    the 

»f  the  northern  district  of  the  Athabaska  and  the  MacKenzie  rivers  and  the  thorough- 

tare  not  only  of  missionaries,   but   also  of  prospectors,   traders  and    fur  hunters    who   are 

Jung    for    these    regions,    as    well    as    farmers    and    ranchers    who    seek    these    unsettled 

wilds    tor    the    chance    of    securing    vast    tracts    of    land    for    themselves. 

the  mission  dates  back  mainly   to   the  time  when   the  railway,   after  reaching  Cal 

gary,    was   about    to   be   extended    to    Edmonton,    and    there    had    been    opened    a    wagon 

road    from    the   latter  place   to    the   landing   on    the   Athabaska    River.      This    was    about 

M     although   there  had   been  some    few  people  settled   there   before   that   time.      Since 

icn    the   mission    has   only   been    visited    at    irregular    intervals.       It    is    true    that    the   mis 

sionaries  going  to  their  northern  posts  passed  through  the  Landing,   but  anxious  to  reach 

their  respective  missions   as  soon   as   possible,   they   made   their  stay   as   short   as  possible. 

Father    Husson     the    Procurator    of    the    Northern    Missions,    has    passed    through 

ottener   than   anyone  else,   but   obliged   to   attend    to   his  numerous   duties,    he   has  had   to 

confine  himself  to  the  more  urgent  parts  of  the  missionary   work.      Bishop  Glut,    Bishop 

Urouard    and    Bishop    Breyant    have    been    seen    here    several    time.s.       Some    of    the    St 

fathers    have    also   paid    flying   visits    to    this    remote   post,    but    these    casual    visits 

could  not  produce  any  remarkable  results. 


In  f^'AH903^  tHe,  A'habaska  Landi"§  Mission  received  the  pastoral  visit  of  the 

.ishop  c        t.  Albert  for  the  first  lime      Since  then  it  has  been  attended  to  more  regularly. 

In  September,    1905,   Rev     Father   P.    Beaudry,   O.M.I.,   who   had   already   visited   the 

place  several   times    was  placed   in   charge  of  the  mission.      The  necessity   of  building   a 

:hurch    for    the    whole    Catholic    population    had    frequently    been    spoken    of    and    steps 

were  now   taken   in   earnest   toward   that  effect. 

Ten  lots  were  secured  at  a  very  reasonable  price  from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 

on   the  western  side  of  the  surveyed  plot   and   the   little  church,   48  x  26    feet     with   an 

djommg  vestry    18   x    1  4,    was   erected   in    1906   on    this   beautiful    locat.on   overlooking 

the  river  and   the  valley.       Fhanks   to   the  generosity  of  the  people,   Protestants   as  well 

Catholics,    the   necessary    funds   were   collected    to    meet    the    expenses.      Within    three 

s   the  church   was   sufficiently   advanced    to   be   fit    for   religious   service.      Since   then 

has   been   provided   with   a    fine   bell,    an   organ,    and    all    other   requisites    for   solemn 

:.   Gabriel  s  church,   as  it  is  called,   is  generally  crowded  on  Sundays. 

The   Rev.    Father   P.    Beaudry,   O.M.I.,    was   the   one   who   devoted   his   energy   to 

rOn/TlT  °k  °1r§aniZIng],the  Pansh  of  Athabaska  Landing.      After  bu.ldmg  the  church  in 

JO,   he   built   a  small   presbytery   adjoining   the   church   in    1908. 

In  this  same  year  1908  the  community  of  the  Sisters  of  Providence  of  Montreal  had 
come  to  establish  a  new  hospital.  They  began  their  noble  work  in  a  boarding  house 
longing  to  Mr  Isaie  Gagnon,  who  has  always  shown  his  interests  and  devotion  to  the 
good  of  the  parish  and  all  charitable  work.  In  the  meantine  the  selection  of  a  convenient 
place  tor  the  permanent  hospital  was  receiving  the  attention  of  priest  and  people.  One  site 
on  the  declivity,  across  the  Tawatinaw  Creek  was  at  first  considered,  but  it  seemed 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


to  be  too  far  away  from  the  centre  of  the  town;  so  that,  finally,  it  was  decided  to  accept 
the  offer  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Co.,  which  was  willing  to  let,  on  a  long  lease,  a  very  fine 
location  on  the  block  just  above  the  church  property. 

There  after  many  difficulties  had  been  disposed  of,  the  hospital  was  built  and 
regularly  opened  in  the  course  of  the  year  1910.  Rev.  Sister  Sosthene,  the  first  superior 
ess,  has  been  since  succeeded  by  Rev.  M.  Heloise. 

In  1909  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  had  paid  a  visit  to  the  Landing,  on  the  12th  of 
May,  to  administer  the  sacrament  of  Confirmation  and,  on  this  occasion,  he  blessed  a 
new  bell  for  the  church. 

Rev.    Father  A.    Desmarais   who   succeeded   Father   Beaudry   soon   had   to   enlarge 
the  church  to  double  its   former  size,  and  also  to  improve  the  presbytery  in  many  ways 
He  is  still  in  charge  of  the  parish,   1914,  and  is  obliged  to  divide  his  energy  for  the  good 
of   all   the  people,   between   the   town  proper   and   the   surrounding   district,   especially    tor 
the  Catholic  settlement   at   Lake   Baptiste,   fifteen   miles    from   Athabaska    Landing    ( 
souls)    and  at  Pine  Creek   (115  souls). 

At  Athabaska  Landing  there  is  an  important  Post  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
and  steamboats  are  loaded  here  to  ply  on  the  Athabaska.  There  are  stores,  hotels  and 
many  places  of  business.  The  permanent  Catholic  population,  apart  from  its  floating 
element  is  not  very  large.  It  is  composed  of  French,  Irish  and  Half-breeds.  But,  at 
times,  when  the  boats  are  getting  ready  to  start  on  their  northern  trips,  or  when  they 
come  back  laden  with  their  precious  furs,  which  have  been  procured  by  trading  the  goods 
of  civilization  there  is  quite  an  exhibition  of  activity  and  bustle.  Within  a  radius  ot 
about  ten  miles  around  the  little  town,  there  are  to  be  found  about  260  Catholics. 


12 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Recent  Parishes  and  Missions 

ALONG  THE  G.  T.  P. 


I.— PARISH  OF  THE  HOLY  NAME  OF  MARY.     (VIKING). 

When  the  priests  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  a  congregation  having  its  mother-house 
at  bt.  Quentm,(  France)  came  to  this  country,  it  was  decided  to  give  them  the  mission 
of  looking  after  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  Catholics  scattered  along  the  line  of  the 
Grand  Trunk  Pacific,  which  had  been  the  last  arrival  of  the  Railway  Companies  head 
ing  for  Edmonton. 

The  Rev.  Fathers,  three  in  number  arrived  on  the  24th  of  July,  1910,  and  they 
were  immediately  put  in  charge  of  the  two  posts  of  Viking  and  Wainwrigh't.  There 
was  no  church  nor  church  property  at  either  of  these  points,  but  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert 
took  immediate  steps  in  order  to  secure  at  least  a  few  town  lots  at  several  of  the  stations 
along  the  line. 

Rev.  Father  E.  Steinmetz  was  to  look  after  the  Catholic  population  at  Viking  He 
came  there  on  April  15th,  1911,  and,  without  delay,  encouraged  the  people  to  build 
their  own  church,  but  being  busy  himself,  at  the  same  time,  with  his  presbytery  he  left 
too  much  of  a  free  hand  to  his  building  committee,  and  this  is  another  instance  showing 
that  these  lay  committees  must  always  be  closely  controlled.  The  committee  went  for- 

iT™nUCh  ibY°,nrd  ^  meanS  that  they  had  at  their  dlsP°sal-  The  church  cost  over 
$2,300,  only  half  of  that  sum  being  provided  for;  and  it  has  not  yet  been  possible  to 
pay  oft  the  debt.  I  he  building  of  the  church  took  place  during  the  summer  of  1912, 
and  that  of  the  presbytery  proceeded  at  the  same  time.  It  was  too  much  indeed,  for 
the  small  congregation.  The  presbytery  is  small  but  neat  and  convenient;  the  church 
dedicated  to  the  Holy  Name  of  Mary  is  not  finished. 

The  episcopal  visitation  of  the  parish  took  place  on  the  8th  of  July,  1914,  and 
the  Archbishop  was  pleased  to  see  that  an  assistant  had  been  given  to  Rev.  Father  Stein 
metz  in  the  person  of  Rev.  Father  Koolen.  There  is  indeed  a  vast  district  to  be  visited 
and  there  is  plenty  of  work  for  two  zealous  missionaries.  These  are  the  outposts: 

'• — Tofield.      There   is   here   a    church   site   provided   but   no    church    as   yet; 

2- — H olden,    without   any   church,    but   visited    from    time   to    time; 

3. — Our  Lad's  of  Mt.  Carmel  which  is  an  old  mission  formerly  known  as  Birch 
Lake  and  visited  by  Rev.  Father  Boulenc  or  other  missionaries  of  Saddle  Lake  Reserve, 
and,  later  on,  by  the  priests  from  Vegreville.  There  are  here  40  acres  of  land  secured 
from  the  government  for  church  purposes  and  a  little  church  built  thereupon,  where 
divine  service  is  held  once  in  a  while. 

— Prague  is  a  little  mission  of  Bohemian  Catholics,  settled  here  for  quite  a 
number  of  years.  The  little  church  which  had  been  burned  down  has  been  rebuilt. 
The  mission  was  visited,  at  first,  from  Daysland  by  Rev.  Father  F.  X.  Teck;  now  it 
is  visited  from  Viking. 

5. — Mance  is  a  new  settlement  started  by  an  agricultural  society  of  French  speak 
ing  Catholics,  only  3  miles  from  Viking. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 

2.— THE   PARISH   OF   WAINWRIGHT. 

Wainwright  had  been  intended  at  first  to  be  the  headquarters  of  the  priests  of 
the  Sacred  Heart,  and  their  superior,  Rev.  Father  E.  Gaborit  resided  here,  for  some 
lime,  before  he  took  up  his  residence  at  Elm  Park,  Edmonton.  The  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
of  St.  Albert  visited  the  place  on  the  1  1  th  of  August,  1910,  only  a  few  weeks  after 
the  arrival  of  these  missionaries  and  when  they  had  their  temporary  residence  in  a 
private  house  rented  for  the  purpose. 

The  Bishop  secured  a  plot  of  land  a  short  distance  from  the  town  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  the  public  school,  and  there  was  soon  built  a  temporary  dwelling  to  serve  as 
a  house-chapel,  the  upper  floor  being  used  for  the  purpose  of  the  church.  Fhe  first 
winter  passed  in  this  house,  which  was  as  yet  unfinished,  was  quite  severe  for  the  new 
comers.  There  also  they  received  the  visit  of  their  Superior  General  the  Very  Rev. 
Father  Dehon. 

Rev.  Father  G.  Carpentier  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  parish,  when  Rev.  hather 
Gaborit  left  in  the  course  of  the  year  1911,  to  take  up  his  residence  at  Elm  Park,  and 
he  has  remained  at  the  head  of  the  parish  ever  since. 

Wainwright  although  a  divisional  point  of  the  G.  T.  P.  has  not  been  growing  as 
fast  as  was  expected;  the  number  of  Catholics  especially  has  not  very  materially  increased 
for  the  last  three  years. 

Father  Carpentier  is  now  assisted  by  Rev.  Father  Lemaire  and  will  be  in  a  better 
position  to  visit  a  few  other  posts,  as:  Kinsella,  Irma,  Heath  and  Edgerton,  where 
there  are  a  few  Catholic  families. 

3.— THE  PARISH  OF  THE  SACRED  HEART.      (CHAUVIN). 

Chauvin  is  the  most  eastern  station  but  one,  on  the  G.  T.  P.,  in  the  limits  of  the 
province  of  Alberta.  The  settlement  has  been  formed  by  a  certain  number  of  French 
speaking  Catholic  families,  which  had  come  from  Morinville  and  even  from  St.  Albert, 
in  order  to  secure  homesteads.  Very  likely  some  of  them  will  sell  out  when  they  have 
received  the  patents  of  their  homesteads.  Yet  while  they  remain  there,  they  must  be 
looked  after,  as  to  their  spiritual  welfare. 

Rev.  Father  Albert  Soyer,  although  not  a  priest  of  the  Congregation  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  is,  in  some  manner,  affiliated  with  them.  While  residing  with  them,  at  Wain 
wright,  he  was  given  the  task  of  visiting  the  Catholics  of  Chauvin,  and,  late  in  the 
year  1911,  he  managed  to  build  a  house  chapel,  divided  in  two,  on  the  ground  floor, 
one  part  being  used  as  the  chapel  and  the  other  as  a  dwelling.  The  Archbishop  of 
Edmonton  visited  the  primitive  mission  in  1913  and  found  everything  simple  and  modest 
indeed,  but  in  good  condition. 

4.— MISSION  OF  EDSON. 

Edson  is  a  divisional  point  on  the  main  line  of  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific,  going 
from  Edmonton  to  the  mountains  and  eventually  to  the  Pacific  coast.  The  stations, 
on  the  line,  have  not  as  yet  developed  to  a  great  extent.  There  are  no  important  towns 
and  only  one  missionary  has  been  a  constant  traveller  for  a  couple  of  years,  to  visit  the 
few  Catholics  settled  all  along  the  line.  Rev.  Father  P.  Beaudry,  O.M.I.,  was  this 
missionary  engaged  in  this  extensive  work,  on  a  distance  of  about  251  miles,  to  Yel- 
lowhead  pass,  the  limit  of  the  archdiocese  and  the  boundary  line  between  Alberta 
and  British  Columbia.  He  has  even  proceeded  as  far  as  Fort  George,  as  there  was 
no  other  missionary  to  take  up  the  work  in  B.  C. 

Yet,  in  July,  1914,  Rev.  Father  L.  Culerier,  O.M.I.,  was  also  appointed  to 
visit  part  of  the  line  of  the  G.  T.  P.  There  is  only  one  church  built  on  this  long 
stretch,  at  Edson.  It  is  dedicated  to  St.  John  the  Baptist.  It  is  intended  to  build 
another  one.  as  soon  as  possible,  at  Jasper,  the  second  divisional  point  west  of  Edmonton. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


VERY  REV.  FATHER  H.  LEDUC,  O.M.I. 

Vicar  General   of  the  Archdiocese  of  Edmonton,   Alta. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  115 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


POLISH  MISSIONS 


From  the  year  1892  or  1893  it  became  evident  that  an  immigration  movement  was 
being  inaugurated  from  the  central  regions  of  Europe  towards  the  Canadian  North 
west.  Those  from  these  countries  who  had  already  come  into  the  United  States  to 
work  in  the  coal  mines  or  on  the  new  railroads  in  course  of  construction,  had  doubtless 
sent  information  to  their  native  places.  Then,  too,  after  1 89 6  the  colonization  policy 
of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior,  the  Hon.  Clifford  Sifton.  had  favored  the  coming  of 
these  immigrants. 

Ir.  1895  and  1896  there  was  already  quite  a  numerous  contingent  of  these  new 
comers  established  east  of  Fort  Saskatchewan,  and  in  all  the  region  bounded  by  the 
curve  made  by  the  river  up  to  Victoria  and  even  beyond.  These  people  came  for  the 
most  part  from  Galicia,  a  province  of  ancient  Poland,  made  over  to  Austria. 

There  were  also  amons  them  some  Germans.  Hungarians.  Bohemians,  Slavs, 
Roumanians.  Bukovinians.  etc.  From  the  point  of  view  of  their  religious  classification, 
these  people  can  be  arranged  in  three  great  categories:  Roman  Catholics,  Greek  Ruth- 
enian  Catholics  ("united  to  Rome  or  Uniates).  and  Greek  Orthodox  Schismatics.  The 
Poles,  properlv  so  called,  are.  as  a  people,  ail  Roman  Catholics  of  the  Latin  rite.  The 
Ruthenians,  all  coming  from  Galicia,  are  also  exclusively  Catholics  in  union  with  Rome, 
but  with  a  special  rite  which  is  almost  identical  with  the  Greek  rite,  save  that  the 
liturgical  language  is  not  Greek,  but  the  Ruthenian,  an  ancient  Slav  tongue  which  is 
no  lonaer  in  use  except  in  the  offices  of  the  church. 

The  Bukovinians  and  Roumanians  are  generally  schismatics,  but  they  do  not  be 
long  to  the  Russian  Schismatic  church  and  to  the  Holy  Synod  of  St.  Petersburg. 

These  arouos  of  Catholics  established  in  this  part  of  the  country  had  no  resident 
missionary  in  their  midst  before  the  year  1898.  They  were,  however,  visited  very 
frequently  by  some  of  the  missionaries  of  the  diocese,  whom  thev  received  willingly,  and 
towards  whom  they  showed  themselves,  from  the  start,  full  of  deference.  These  mis 
sionaries  were  Rev.  M.  E.  Dorais,  parish  priest  of  Notre  Dame  de  Lourdes,  near  Fort 
Saskatchewan,  and  Rev.  Father  G.  Nordmann,  who  could  make  himself  understood  bv 
many,  while  speaking  in  German 

From  1897  Bishop  Legal,  then  coadjutor  of  the  Diocese  of  St.  Albert,  made  many 
visits  to  the  colony  and  these  were  a  source  of  consolation  for  these  people  who  are 
very  religious  and  have  a  very  lively  and  demonstrative  faith.  The  services  were  held, 
as  they  had  not  yet  built  a  church,  sometimes  in  private  houses  and  at  other  times  in  a 
school  house,  at  Limestone  Lake. 

1.— THE  POLISH   MISSION   OF  KRAKOW.     ST.   CASIMIR. 

In  the  year  1 899  Bishop  Grandin  accepted  in  his  diocese  a  Polish  Ecclesiastic, 
the  Rev.  Francois  Olczewski,  who  devoted  himself  to  the  missions  in  this  country. 
Fr.  Olczewski  had  taken  his  philosophical  and  theological  course  at  Turin  with  the 
Salesian  Fathers  of  Dom  Bosco.  He  passed  successfully  through  all  the  degrees  of  the 


16 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


ordinations  and  was  ordained  to  the  priesthood  by  Bishop  Grandin  at  St.  Albert  on 
the  6th  of  January,  1900.  He  was  then  entrusted  with  the  duty  of  visiting  the  Polish 
and  Galician  settlements  of  all  this  region  to  the  east  of  Fort  Saskatchewan. 

He  made  his  headnuarters  in  the  very  centre  of  all  this  population  in  a  place  which 
has  since  taken  the  name  of  Krakow  about  55  miles  from  Edmonton.  In  thus  choosing 
a  larnhiar  name  they  were  desirous  of  consoling  themselves  with  the  remembrance  of 
their  far  off  fatherland.  However,  it  must  be  stated  these  people  seemed  from  the 
beginning  imbued  with  great  courage  and  determination,  to  make  for  themselves  definitely 
a  new  fatherland  in  these  far  off  regions  of  Canada. 

Rev.  Fr.  Olczewski  threw  himself  with  ardor  into  his  task.  Journeying  constantly 
through  this  almost  impenetrable  country,  where  the  roads  were  not  as  yet  laid  out  or 
practicable,  he  had  to  endure  very  great  privations.  For  many  years,  being  deprived  of  all 
comforts,  even  the  most  elementary  nature;  struggling  against  difficulties  without  number, 
and  even  at  times  running  the  greatest  dangers,  sometimes  lost  on  the  road  in  the  depth  of 
winter  or  imperiled  in  the  deep  and  flooded  rivers  in  summer.  In  spite  of  his  zeal  and 
courage,  he  was  not  always  accorded  the  respect  and  marks  of  gratitude  due  to  him. 

Meanwhile  he  did  not  lose  courage,  but  with  that  tenacity  of  purpose  which  is  so 
characteristic  of  the  Polish  nation,  he  worked  on  with  constant  persistence  at  the 
organization  of  the  missions.  For  many  years  he  was  the  only  missionary  to  visit  also, 
from  time  to  time,  the  groups  of  Poles  established  on  the  C.  P.  R.  line  from  Cochrane 
to  Laggan,  and  in  other  carls  of  the  diocese. 

1. — St.    Casimir   at   Krakow. 

Soon  after  his  arrival,  Father  Olczewski  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  good  sized  piece 
of  land  and  he  was  able  to  erect  a  fairly  large  house  which  would  serve  as  his  dwelling 
and  the  provisionary  chapel  in  which  to  gather  those  of  the  faithful  who  were  not  too 
far  awav.  In  1907  an  unpretentious  church,  larger  and  more  convenient,  was  completed 
at  Krakow.  The  former  church  was  now  used  as  a  private  chapel.  The  new  church 
was  dedicated  to  St.  Casimir,  patron  of  Poland. 

2.— OUR  LADY  OF  GOOD  COUNSEL,  AT  SKARO. 

Even  before  the  building  of  the  church  at  Krakow,  another  chapel  had  been 
erected  near  Skaro,  and  was  blessed  by  Bishop  Legal  on  July  5th,  1904,  under  the 
title  of  Our  Lady  of  Good  Counsel.  One  of  the  neighbors,  Mr.  Utculak,  gave  for 
the  purpose  three  acres  of  land. 

3.—ST.  JOHN  OF  KENT. 

A  little  farther,  at  a  distance  of  six  miles,  another  chapel  was  also  erected  on 
forty  acres  of  land  obtained  from  the  government.  It  was  dedicated  to  St.  John  of 
Kent  on  the  18th  of  JJecember,  1906. 

4.—THE   ASCENSION   OF  OUR   LORD. 

A  fourth  church  has  been  built  more  to  the  east  in  the  Beaver  Lake  district,  to 
be  the  centre  of  a  new  Polish  parish.  It  is  dedicated  to  the  Ascension  of  Our  Lord. 

Finally,  a  fifth  chapel  has  been  established  for  the  Poles  on  the  road  leading  from 
Edmonton  to  Athabasca  Landing,  in  the  district  of  the  little  Vermilion  of  the  North. 
There  are  still  many  other  posts  which  call  for  the  visit  of  a  Polish  priest  every  month 
or  every  two  months. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  1 1 7 


The  day  of  the  inauguration  of  the  chapel  of  Our  Lady  of  Good  Counsel  at 
Skaro,  also  marked  another  important  event.  Some  Polish  young  ladies  had  for  three 
years  sought  to  be  allowed  to  consecrate  themselves  to  God  and  to  devote  their  services 
to  the  teaching  of  the  young.  This  was  not  without  need,  for  in  all  this  vast  district 
the  visits  of  the  priest  were  necessarily  rare,  and  the  schools  that  had  been  established  at 
great  intervals  were  in  Protestant  hands.  Their  petition  was  granted  and  on  this  day, 
July  5th.  1904.  the  first  three  novices  received  the  holv  habit  of  a  Religious^ from  .the 
hands  of  Bishop  Legal,  taking  the  name  of  "Auxiliaries  of  the  Apostolate."  These 
were  Anna  Weronika  Chamulka,  Anna  Arsenia  Dziwinka  and  Wicktoria  Franceszka 
Wachowirz.  They  had  left  their  homes  toward  midnight  and  had  travelled  the  rest 
of  the  night  to  be  present  in  the  morning  at  the  blessing  of  the  little  church.  Nor  did 
their  fervor  abate.  After  the  ordinary  trials  of  the  noviceship  these  first  to  be  admitted 
pronounced  their  vows  of  religion  and  others  joined  them. 

They  prepare  themselves  for  their  mission  of  devotion  to  the  children  of  their 
own  nationality  by  silence,  prayer,  study  and  by  privations  of  every  kind.  Some  of 
them  have  already  opened  a  little  school  at  Krakow,  meanwhile  others  are  preparing 
for  the  same  work  while  following  the  course  at  the  Catholic  school  at  Edmonton. 
The  day  is  not  far  distant  when  their  co-operation  will  be  valuable  and  efficient. 

By  the  end  of  the  year  1911  Rev.  Father  Olczewski,  with  his  little  community 
of  Sisters,  passed  to  the  diocese  of  Crookston,  U.S. 

5.— PARISH  OF  ST.  STANISLAS. 
ROUND  HILL  or  LAKE  DEMAY. 

Rev.  Fr.  Olczewski,  however,  was  not  alone  to  visit  the  Polish  missions  of 
the  diocese.  Rev.  Fathers  Albert  and  William  Kulawy,  brothers,  both  Oblates  of 
Mary  Immaculate,  had  been  sent  to  Canada  to  look  in  a  special  manner  after  the 
interests  of  the  new  Polish  colonies.  They  had  truly  a  vast  field  for  their  apostolic 
zeal,  the  Great  Lakes  on  the  east,  and  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  west,  being  the 
boundaries.  Although  devoting  most  of  their  time  to  their  new  parish  in  Winnipeg  and 
the  many  Polish  stations  in  Manitoba,  they  paid  occasional  visits  to  the  North-west 
and  to  all  the  new  settlements  of  their  countrymen. 

But  in  the  year  1903,  another  brother  of  the  two  last  named,  Rev.  Fr.  Paul 
Kulawy,  O.M.I.,  was  sent  to  remain  in  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert,  and  in  January,  1904, 
he  began  to  visit  the  settlement  of  the  Poles  located  near  Lake  Demay,  which  had  been 
visited  before  by  Father  Olczewski. 

Lake  Demay  is  situated  about  twelve  miles  north-east  from  Camrose.  The  name, 
Demay,  which  should  be  Lemay,  comes  from  a  French  priest,  Father  Lemay,  who 
some  eighteen  years  ago,  had  selected  this  land  for  a  French  colony.  But  the  land  was 
not  surveyed  as  yet,  and  it  became  necessary  to  postpone  the  scheme.  Father  Lemay, 
having  gone  to  British  Columbia,  died  there,  and  the  project  of  the  new  settlement 
collapsed  with  him. 

3C3£  In   the  year    1902   some   Polish   and   Ruthenian    families   came   to   this   part   of   the 

country  from  Sandy  Lake,  where  they  had  found  farming  almost  impossible.  The 
country  around  this  little  lake  appealed  to  their  taste  and  with  new-comers  from 
Austria  they  started  the  actual  settlement. 

We   find   Father   Paul    Kulawy   attending   this   mission,    now    from    Edmonton   and 

again  from  Calgary.      These  long  distances,  however,  were  a  serious  drawback,  and  the 

:!!::<  increasing  population  in  the  hope  of  securing  the  ordinary  residence  of  their  priest  decided 

to   erect  a  priest's  house,   which  is   a   roomy,    two-storied   building.      Fr.    Paul   Kulawy, 

|oj  from    that   time   on   could   devote   more    time    to    this    mission.      A    large    stable,    having 

accommodation    for  eight  horses,   was  soon   added  to   the  presbytery,   but   what   is   more 

?:<- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


*xtraordmary  still,  a  handsome  church  has  been  erected  there  within  the  short  space  of 
a  year.  The  building  is  beautifully  located,  commanding  a  splendid  view  of  the  lake 
and  its  surroundings.  The  church,  although  not  quite  finished  inside,  is  completed  on 
the  outside,  with  its  tower  and  its  long,  tapering  and  elegant  steeple,  which  had  not 
long  to  wait  for  the  bell  destined  for  it. 

The  blessing  of  this  new  church  on  Sunday,   the   7th  of  July,    1907,  was  a  grand 

occasion.      On   the  previous   day   Bishop   Legal   and   the  visiting  priests   were   met   at   the 

.    depot    at    Camrose   by    a    large    delegation    of   young   men,    all    mounted    and 

bearing    emblems    of    their    patriotism    and    belief.      They    were    to    make    a    body    guard 

for   the   Bishop   as    far   as   Lake   Demay. 

We  find  in  the  "Camrose  Mail"  the  following  brisk  description  of  the  ceremony 
which  took  place  the  next  day:  "On  Sunday,  amidst  all  that  bespoke  of  dignity,  en 
thusiasm  and  devotion,  the  Catholic  church  at  Lake  Demay  was  solemnly  blessed  by 
the  1  Rev.  Bishop  Legal,  of  St.  Albert,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Vicar  of  the  Oblates 
Father  H.  Grandin,  nephew  of  the  late  Bishop  of  the  same  name,  who  has  gone  down 
into  history  as  the  first  Bishop  of  the  North-west.  At  eleven  o'clock  the  ceremony  of 

;ssing    the    new    church    took    place The    church    was    nicely    decorated    in 

the  interior  and   outside  emblems  of  patriotism   and   devotion   were   in   evidence  on   every 
There    were     forty-five    persons    confirmed,    showing    in    a    measure,     the 
good  work  that   Father  Kulawy  is  doing  in   the  parish." 

On  the  1 1  8lh  of  August,  during  the  absence  of  Bishop  Legal,  His  Lordship,  Bishop 
Rascal,  then  Vicar  Apostolic  of  Saskatchewan,  but  now  Bishop  of  Prince  Albert  in 
the  course  of  a  visit  to  St.  Albert,  consented  to  go  to  Lake  Demay,  accompanied'  by 
the  Very  Rev.  Father  H.  Leduc,  O.M.I.,  Vicar-General,  for  the  blessing  of  a  hand- 
Iruly  this  mission  then  is  now  perfectly  established,  and  taking  into  con 
sideration  the  comparatively  short  time  and  the  poverty  of  all  the  new-comers  from 
Austria,  one  cannot  but  wonder  how  all  these  improvements  have  been  completed  in 
such  a  satisfactory  manner. 

OTHER    POLISH    MISSIONS 
6.— RABBIT  HILLS. 

Rabbit  Hills  is  eighteen  miles  south-west  of  South-Edmonton.  This  mission  was 
:ommenced  by  Rev.  Father  Albert  Kulawy  (brother  of  Rev.  Paul  Kulawy)  who  had 
from  Winnipeg  to  visit  the  Poles  in  Alberta.  He  had  selected  the  spot  on  ac 
count  of  the  extraordinary  quality  of  the  soil,  and  an  unpretentious  little  chapel  was 
built  there  in  1903.  After  the  arrival  of  Father  Paul  Kulawy  the  church  was  finished 
and  services  are  held  one  Sunday  of  every  month. 

The    blessing    of    this    little    church    on    June    2,     1904,    was    the    occasion    of    a 
>eautirul    and   pious   demonstration.      It    was    the    feast    of   Corpus    Christi,    and    it    had 
*r .resolved  to  gather  together  the   faithful   of  both   rites,   Latin   and   Ruthenian,   in   the 
celebration    of    the    solemn    festival.       It    is,    besides,    a    custom    which    is    practiced    at 
least    some    times    in    Gahcia.       His    Lordship,    Bishop    Legal,    had    arrived    the    evening 
ore  and  had  gone  down  to  the  house  of  Rev.    Father  Dydyk,    the  Greek   Ruthenian 
priest    as  h  r.   Kulawy  had  as  yet  no  house  there.      Elaborate  preparations  and  decora 
tions  had  been  made.      There  were  triumphal  arches  of  foliage  and  flags  of  the  national 
colors   of   Gahcia,   yellow    and   blue,    were    floating   in    the   breeze   on    all    sides,    even   on 
the  dome  of   the  little   Ruthenian   church. 

All  went  in  procession  to  escort  the  Bishop  to  the  church  with  banners,  ikons  and 
lighted  tapers  At  the  church  door  Rev.  Fr.  Dydyk,  O.S.B.M.,  made  a  short  address 
in  Latin  and  the  Bishop  replied  in  the  same.  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  then 
followed,  given  with  the  Ciborium,  which  was  surmounted  by  a  royal  crown  of 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


beautiful  significance  and  effect.  The  procession  was  then  formed.  The  weather  was 
a  little  threatening,  and  not  exactly  such  as  desirable,  but  the  procession  was  able  to 
be  carried  on,  during  which  the  Latin  chants  alternated  with  the  Rutheman,  and  the 
"Ospodo  Pomi"  replied  to  the  "Miserere  Nobis"  of  the  litanies. 

In  this  manner  the  distance  between  the  two  little  churches,  about  half  a  mile, 
was  accomplished.  The  Ruthenian  church  is  situated  in  a  fine  position  on  the  banks 
of  the  little  river,  "White  Mud."  It  is  well  built,  of  square  timber,  and  surmounted 
by  a  little  dome  in  the  Muscovite  style.  The  Polish  church  of  the  Latin  rite  is  not  so 
pretentious. 

In  spite  of  the  rain  which  kept  threatening,  His  Lordship  Bishop  Legal,  was 
able  to  accomplish  the  blessing  of  the  church  with  the  aspersions  and  other  ceremonies. 

Rev.  Fr.  Kulawy  sang  High  Mass,  and  it  was  interesting  and  pious  to  hear  the 
whole  assembly  uniting  in  the  singing  of  the  Gloria  and  Credo  and  other  parts  of  the 
service  in  a  manner  somewhat  monotonous,  it  is  true,  but  intensely  religious.  Rev.  Fr. 
Kulawy  at  the  end  of  the  Mass  also  addressed  the  Bishop,  insisting  especially  on  the 
good  will  that  each  party  at  Rabbit  Hills  displayed  to  the  other,  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  prevent  any  appearance  of  that  animosity  which  sometimes  exists  between  the  different 
rites.  Finally  there  was  held  a  Confirmation  service  for  ten  persons,  and  thus  ended  a 
day  of  pious  rejoicing  and  blessings. 

A  modest  presbytery  was  built  at  Rabbit  Hills  in  the  course  of  the  year  1907, 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  priest  when  he  visits  the  place,  and  it  serves  also  as 
a  waiting  room  for  the  people  on  rainy  days.  From  Rabbit  Hills  Father  Kulawy  also 
pays  occasional  visits  to  Conjuring  Creek,  where  there  are  a  few  Polish  settlers  scat 
tered  amongst  the  Ruthenians. 

7.—  ST.  JOHN  NEPOMUCK. 

St.  John  Nepomuck,  at  Kopernick,  distant  about  twenty-five  miles  east  of  the 
mission  of  St.  Stanislas  of  Lake  Demay,  and  fifteen  miles  north  of  Daysland,  there 
is  another  group  of  Poles  with  whom  are  mixed  a  certain  number  of  Ruthenians.  It 
is  the  centre  of  a  mission  which  has  been  dedicated  to  St.  John  Nepomuck,  the  Polish 
Saint  who  died  a  martyr  for  the  Secret  of  the  Confessional. 

There,  also,  Fr.  Kulawy  had  been  able  to  build  a  provisional  chapel  surmounted 
by  its  little  bell  tower,  and  having  some  pretentions  to  the  dignity  of  a  church.  1  his 
however  is  now  the  residence  of  the  priest,  when  visiting  the  mission  and  a  proper  church 
was  erected  in  the  course  of  the  year  1909. 

Recently  (1914)  the  work  of  visiting  the  Polish  missions  has  been  shared  by 
Rev.  Father  Denis,  O.F.M.,  and  Rev.  Father  Geldsdorf,  O.M.I.,  who  came  recent 
ly  from  Germany. 


120 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Y 


Jf^.    nJAPT 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  121 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Greek  Rutheman  Parishes  and  Missions 


GREEK  RUTHENIAN  MISSIONS. 

As  has  been  said  above,  among  the  immigrants  coming  from  the  central  countries  of 
Europe,  and  especially  from  that  province  of  the  Empire  of  Austria  named  Galicia, 
many  belonged  to  the  Greek  Ruthenian  rite.  These  are  called  Uniates,  or  Greek 
Catholics,  United  to  Rome,  and  submitting  entirely  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Pope. 
From  the  point  of  view  of  dogma,  they  are  at  one  with  the  Catholics  of  the  Roman 
rite,  but  differ  in  their  liturgy.  Their  whole  external  form  of  worship  is  based  on  the 
order  of  the  Greek  liturgy.  The  language  used  in  their  worship,  nevertheless,  is  not 
Greek,  but  a  very  old  Slav  tongue,  called  Ruthenian.  These  people  were  converted 
to  the  Catholic  faith  by  Saints  Cyril  and  Meltodius,  after  some  vicissitudes  in  which 
they  had  been  partially  involved  in  the  Schism  of  Photius.  It  was  through  these  same 
Saints  Cyril  and  Meltodius  that  they  had  obtained  from  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  the 
privilege  of  preserving  the  Greek  Liturgy  and  the  Ruthenian  language  in  the  Divine 
offices. 

Moreover,  it  is  well  to  remember  that  this  Greek-Ruthenian  rite,  which  did  not 
exist  at  first  anywhere  except  in  Galicia,  holds  no  connection  with  any  Oriental  Patri 
arch,  but  is  derived  directly  from  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  of  Rome.  But  in  Galicia  this 
Greek-Ruthenian  church  has  its  hierarchy  entirely  distinct  from  and  independent  of 
the  Latin  hierarchy.  The  three  Dioceses  of  Galicia  have  each  their  Ruthenian  Bishop 
side  by  side  with  the  Latin  Bishop,  and  the  jurisdiction  of  each  extends  over  the 
same  territory,  but  only  over  persons  of  its  respective  rite. 

The  Archbishop  of  Lemberg  is  the  Metropolitan  and  he  has  for  his  suffragans,  the 
Bishops  of  Stamslaw  and  Przemysl.  These  are  the  three  Dioceses  whence  all  the 
Catholics  of  the  Greek-Ruthenian  rite  have  come  to  us,  who  now  are  peopling  Manitoba 
and  the  new  provinces. 

As  before  said,  these  people  were  visited  from  time  to  time,  before  1897,  by  dif 
ferent  missionaries,  particularly  by  Rev.  M.  Dorais,  and  Rev.  Fr.  G.  Nordmann, 
O.M.I.  In  1897,  when  Bishop  Legal  had  been  nominated  Bishop  Grandin's  coad 
jutor,  he  made  it  one  of  his  first  cares  to  provide  for  the  spiritual  needs  of  these  people 
of  the  Greek  Ruthenian  rite  who  were  deprived  of  all  consolation  from  the  point  of 
view  of  religion. 

There  was,  in  fact,  the  danger  that,  finding  themselves  deprived  of  spiritual  as 
sistance  they  should  become  the  prey  of  those  who  were  desirous  of  drawing  them  into 
schism.  Indeed,  some  among  these  settlers,  acting  on  inaccurate  information,  had  writ 
ten  to  the  Schismatical  Russian  Bishop,  Nicholas  Tickon,  Bishop  of  Alutzk  and 
Alaska,  residing  at  San  Francisco,  California,  and  in  consequence  of  this  communica 
tion  Bishop  Tickon,  in  1897,  sent  two  of  his  ecclesiastics,  Rev.  Kamneff  and  Rev. 
Alexandroff,  who  started  to  circulate  a  petition,  to  which  all  those  who  wished  to  pass 
over  to  their  religion  should  subscribe  their  names — a  sufficient  proof  that  those  to 
whom  they  addressed  themselves  already  belonged  to  another  church.  It  was  during 


122  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


this  state  of  affairs  that  Bishop  Legal  made  his  first  visit,  the  consequence  of  which 
was  that  the  movement  of  enrolling  members  in  the  Russian  Orthodox  church  ceased 
entirely. 

A  little  before,  the  colony  had  also  had  the  visit  of  a  Uniate  priest,  the  Rev. 
Nestor  Demytrow,  who  had  passed  Easter  in  their  midst  and  had  carried  out  the 
ceremonies  of  this  season  of  the  year  absolutely  and  exactly  as  they  are  practiced  in  the 
churches  of  Galicia.  The  Rev.  Nestor  Demytrow  renewed  his  visit  again  in  September, 
and  in  the  interval,  as  Bishop  Legal  had  ascertained  that  he  was  truly  a  Uniate  priest, 
coming  from  the  Diocese  of  Harrisburg,  where  he  had  exercised  the  functions  of  a 
parish  priest  in  the  Greek-Ruthenian  parish  of  St.  Paul  at  Mt.  Carmel,  all  the  faculties 
and  jurisdiction  for  exercising  the  sacred  ministry  were  granted  him  in  the  name  of 
Bishop  Grandin,  Bishop  of  St.  Albert. 

On  the  occasion  of  this  second  visit  of  Rev.  N.  Demytrow,  it  was  arranged  that 
during  his  stay  in  the  settlement,  Bishop  Legal  should  also  make  an  official  visit,  which 
was  fixed  for  October  3rd.  I  his  took  place  in  the  school  house  at  Limestone  Lake. 
Rev.  Fr.  Demytrow  celebrated  Holy  Mass,  while  His  Lordship,  in  Episcopal  habit, 
and  attended  by  the  Rev.  F  r.  G.  Nordmann,  look  his  place  at  the  customary  Gospel 
side  of  the  altar.  Towards  the  end  of  the  Mass  the  celebrant  came  to  bring  the  pat 
en  to  be  kissed  by  Bishop  Legal  and  Father  Nordmann,  as  the  official  kiss  of  peace, 
and  he  made  all  the  people  kneel  to  receive  the  solemn  benediction  from  the  Bishop, 
tvhich  in  fact  His  Lordship  intoned.  I  hen  afterwards  the  Bishop  briefly  addressed  the 
assembly,  being  interpreted  by  the  priest,  the  Rev.  N.  Demytrow.  After  the  religious 
service,  the  Bishop,  having  now  put  aside  his  choir  habit,  again  addressed  the  assembly. 

In  this  meeting  he  made  inquiries  especially  regarding  the  organization  of  the 
parish.  Ever  since  the  first  visit  of  Bishop  Legal  they  had  asked  him  two  things  in  par 
ticular,  vi/.,  to  secure  for  them  a  piece  of  land  from  the  government  and  to  provide  the 
people  with  priests  of  their  own  rites.  Negotiations  had  already  been  entered  into  with 
•he  Government  Land  Office  at  Edmonton,  but  as  yet  the  answer  had  not  arrived. 
Meanwhile,  as  ihey  were  quite  counting  on  a  favorable  replv,  they  had  already  collected 
a  good  number  of  logs  on  the  land  selected  by  them.  I  hey  had  to  wait  for  the  an 
nouncement  of  the  grant,  but  it  came  in  the  course  of  the  following  January.  It  was  a 
ree  grant  of  forty  acres  as  church  grant  and  the  remainder  of  quarter  of  section 
rvas  reserved  to  serve  as  a  homestead  for  the  priest  who  should  reside  at  this  place. 
The  proprietary  title  was  not,  however,  put  under  the  name  of  Bishop  Grandin,  as  it 
nas  been  said,  but  under  that  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Episcopal  Corporation  of  St. 
Albert.  I  his  was  the  only  officially  organized  corporation  for  Catholic  property  in 
the  Diocese. 

As  to  the  other  request,  that  of  procuring  priests  of  the  Greek  Rutheman  rite,  steps 
had  also  been  taken  with  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  the  Propaganda  at  Rome,  which 
is  charged  with  such  affairs.  The  Propaganda  put  itself  in  communication  with  Car 
dinal  Sambratowich,  Archbishop  of  Lemberg  and  Metropolitan  of  Galicia  for  the 
Greek  Rutheman  rite,  but  negotiations  were  not  concluded  till  a  little  later.  In  the 
^nterval  the  colony  was  still  visited  from  time  to  time,  as  in  the  past. 

It  was  on  Good  Friday,  April  8th,  1898,  that  the  Rev.  Paul  Tymkiewitcz,  a 
young  Galician  priest  of  the  Greek  Ruthenian  rite,  arrived  at  St.  Albert  with  his 
recommendations  and  credentials  from  the  Sacred  Congregation  of  the  Propaganda. 
Bishop  Grandin  and  his  coadjutor  received  him  with  joy  and  agreed  to  give  him,  for 
his  support,  $100  a  year,  seeing  the  poverty  of  the  population  he  was  going  to  serve, 
and  he  received  on  the  spot  a  cheque  to  the  amount  of  $50.  He  was  then  conducted 
to  the  settlement  known  at  that  time  generally  by  the  name  of  Edna,  and  of  which 
he  took  charge. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  123 


The  Rev.  M.  Tymkiewitz  only  remained  about  six  months  in  charge  of  this  colony. 
Finding  the  country  too  little  advanced  and  the  people  too  poor  for  his  taste,  he  de 
parted  for  the  United  States.  During  his  stay  at  the  settlement,  the  Rev.  M.  Tym- 
kiewitcz  came  to  represent  to  Bishop  Grandin  that  the  people  were  urgently  demanding 
that  he  should  be  willing  to  consent  to  transfer  the  church  property,  originally  put  under 
the  name  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Episcopal  Congregation  of  St.  Albert,  to  a  committee 
of  three  members  chosen  as  "Trustees  or  Syndics  of  the  Mission."  It  is  said  that  the 
Rev.  M.  Tymkiewitcz  had  favored,  or  perhaps  even  inspired  this  movement.  There 
would  have  been  nothing  astonishing  in  that. 

In  Gahcia,  that  portion  of  the  Catholic  Church  which  is  called  the  Ruthenian 
church  is  united  to  Rome,  as  has  already  been  said,  by  the  intermediary  of  a  special 
hierarchy  completely  independent  of  the  Latin  hierarchy,  and  it  is  an  open  secret 
known  to  all  that  the  Ruthenian  clergy  in  America  is  desirious  of  introducing  the  same 
system  on  this  side  of  the  ocean.  It  would  have  been  natural  for  the  priest  to  have  acted 
with  this  general  idea  of  preparing  for  such  a  change. 

After  some  representations  pointing  out  the  danger  that  could  happen  in  confiding 
the  "Trust"  to  private  persons  rather  than  to  the  Bishop,  His  Lordship,  Bishop 
Grandin,  nevertheless,  consented  to  surrender  this  property  to  the  Crown,  with  the  pur 
pose  of  handing  it  over  to  a  committee  chosen  "in  trust"  for  a  Congregation  of 
Greeff  Ruthenian  Catholics  united  to  Rome.  Bishop  Legal,  was,  at  the  time,  in 
Europe,  and  had  no  share  in  this  transaction. 

It  was  a  little  after  this  arrangement  that  the  Rev.  M.  Tymkiewitcz  left  the 
colony  for  the  United  States,  where  he  could  certainly  find  more  comfort  than  among 
;:he  new  colonists  of  the  Northwest,  generally  very  poor,  at  this  period. 

On  his  return  from  Europe,  Bishop  Legal  instituted  new  steps  with  the  S.  Cong, 
de  Propaganda,  with  the  result  that  the  Rev.  Damascene  Poliwka  was  sent  to  re 
place  Rev.  M.  Tymkiewitcz.  Rev.  M.  Poliwka  arrived  at  Winnipeg  on  the  21st  of 
October,  1 899,  but  he  came  no  further.  Owing  to  the  reports  that  he  received  there 
concerning  the  colony  at  Star  and  the  severity  of  our  Northwest  climate,  he  decided 
to  cross  over  to  the  United  States  where  he  could  find  more  advantageous  conditions. 

It  was  only  in  the  year  following  that  another  priest  sent  by  him  came  to  take 
his  place.  This  was  the  Rev.  M.  Zacklinski,  who  arrived  at  Edmonton  in  the 
month  of  July,  1900.  On  arriving  he  was  careful  to  apply  for  the  faculties  necessary 
for  exercising  the  Sacred  Ministry,  and  these  were  given,  at  first,  conditionally.  He  had 
to  remain  there  till  they  were  granted  in  a  more  definite  manner. 

It  was  from  his  time,  1901,  that  those  difficulties  commenced  which  led  to  a 
protracted  law  suit  which  lasted  for  many  years,  only  to  be  settled  towards  the  end  of 
1907  by  a  decision  of  the  Privy  Council  of  England.  Of  this  we  shall  say  more 
later. 

The  Ruthenian  priests  who  had  been  in  charge  of  the  colony,  viz.  Tymkiewitcz 
and  Zacklinski,  were  secular  priests,  who  in  fact  were  nowise  settled  in  this  Diocese, 
and  they  could  depart  elsewhere,  as  had  been  done,  whenever  the  conditions  of  the 
country  no  longer  suited  them.  It  is  desirable  in  a  missionary  country  like  this 
rather  to  have  priests  belonging  to  some  religious  order.  Then  if  a  priest  departs 
or  is  recalled,  his  place  is  filled  by  another  and  the  work  commenced  is  not  interrupted. 

To  obtain  this  desirable  result,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Lacombe,  who  was  about  to  go  to 
Europe,  was  commissioned  to  go  to  Galicia  to  visit  the  Greek  Ruthenian  authorities  of 
that  country  and  there  to  arrange  this  matter.  He  departed  in  February,  1 900,  went 
to  Rome  and  interested  the  Cardinal  Prefect  of  the  Propaganda,  Card.  Ledochowski  in 
his  project,  as  well  as  Cardinal  Rampolla  and  the  Sovereign  Pontiff  himself.  On  the 
1st  of  September  he  left  Paris  for  Austria  and  he  arrived  in  Vienna  on  the  evening 


124  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


of  September  4th.  He  first  called  on  Count  Golowkoski,  the  Minister  of  Foreign 
Affairs,  who  took  a  lively  interest  in  our  Galicians  of  the  Canadian  Northwest.  After 
that,  Fr.  Lacombe  went  to  Stanislaow,  there  to  meet  the  Ruthenian  Bishop,  Mgr. 
Sczeptycki. 

Cardinal  Sambratowich,  Archbishop  of  Lemberg,  had  recently  died  and  it  de 
volved  upon  Mgr.  Sczeptycki  to  treat  the  whole  of  this  question.  He  had  been  already 
designated  as  the  successor  of  Cardinal  Sambratowich  in  the  Metropolitan  See  of 
Lemberg,  and  he  himself  belonged  to  the  Order  of  St.  Basil  the  Great.  This  great 
prelate,  with  his  large  hearted  sympathies,  was  entirely  won  over  to  the  cause,  and  he 
promised  to  do  everything  in  his  power  to  procure  for  his  fellow-countrymen  priests 
of  their  own  rite. 

Finally,  to  complete  his  mission,  Fr.  Lacombe  returned  to  Vienna,  where  he  again 
saw  the  Minister  of  Foreign  Affairs,  Count  Golowkoski,  and  by  his  'intervention 
obtained  an  audience  with  the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph  himself,  who  listened  with  the 
greatest  interest  to  the  account  of  the  position  of  his  former  subjects  who  had  emigrated 
to  Canada. 

The  immediate  result  of  Fr.  Lacombe's  journey  was  the  sending  of  Rev.  Basil 
Zoldak,  private  secretary  to  Mgr.  Sczeptycki,  on  a  temporary  mission.  Rev.  B.  Zoldak 
arrived  at  Edmonton  on  Feb.  15,  1902  and  immediately  undertook  the  task  of  visit 
ing  his  fellow  countrymen  and  of  acquainting  himself  with  their  needs. 

In  the  month  of  May,  following,  before  returning  to  Europe  to  render  an 
account  of  his  mission  to  Mgr.  Sczeptycki,  he  addressed  a  report  to  Bishop  Legal 
and  requested  that  Rev.  Father  Jan  should  accompany  him.  Fr.  Jan,  of  the  Parish 
of  St.  Joachim,  Edmonton,  had  taken  the  greatest  interest  in  these  newcomers,  Galicians 
of  the  Greek  Ruthenian,  rite.  A  great  number  of  young  Gahcian  girls,  nearly  300,  had 
been  put  into  domestic  service  in  different  houses  in  Edmonton.  Though  generally  pious, 
prudent  and  reserved,  they  had  no  protection.  On  the  other  hand,  they  were  for  the  most 
part  placed  in  Protestant  families,  and  there  were  from  time  to  time  attempts  made  to  pro 
selytize  them  by  drawing  them  away  to  Protestant  schools  and  churches.  Fr.  Jan 
undertook  to  establish  a  night  school  where  these  young  girls  could  gather  together  after 
their  day's  work  was  done.  There  they  received  religious  instruction,  commenced  to 
learn  English  and  were  taught  dressmaking  and  other  useful  works.  Bishop  Legal 
did  all  in  his  power  to  encourage  this  useful  enterprise  and  he  was  delighted  to  find 
in  the  Rev.  Mothers  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus  a  perfect  readiness  to  second  the 
efforts  of  the  priest  in  respect  to  these  young  girls. 

Meanwhile  His  Lordship,  Bishop  Grandin,  of  saintly  memory,  had  died,  and 
one  of  the  first  acts  of  his  successor  to  the  See  of  St.  Albert  was  to  promise  the  Rev. 
Fr.  Zoldak  the  companionship  of  Father  Jan  to  Europe  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining 
priests  of  the  Greek  Ruthenian  rite  and  especially  those  of  a  religious  order.  The 
matter  was  one  of  difficulty,  not  that  they  were  not  interested  in  Galicia,  in  these  new 
Canadian  colonists,  but  they  had  no  subjects  at  their  disposal  to  send  so  far  afield. 

Mgr.  Sczeptycki,  it  is  true,  belonged,  himself,  to  the  Order  of  Reformed  Basi- 
lians,  but  this  order  was  still  wanting  in  numbers,  and  the  fact  that  he  had  recently 
accepted  the  responsibility  of  some  new  missions  for  Galician  emigrants  to  Brazil 
rendered  the  difficulty  still  greater  as  far  as  the  missions  of  Northwest  Canada  were 
concerned.  After  many  fruitless  attempts  our  two  envoys  were  nearly  discouraged, 
when  the  authorities  in  Galicia  awoke  to  the  necessity  of  immediate  action.  Accordingly 
a  letter  from  Rev.  B.  Zoldak,  dated  the  19th  of  August,  1902,  announced  that  three 
Basilian  Fathers  and  a  lay  brother,  as  well  as  three  Sisters,  "Servants  of  Mary,"  of 
the  Greek  Ruthenian  rite,  were  making  ready  to  cross  over  to  Canada  m  the  early  days 
of  October.  They  arrived  at  Edmonton  on  the  morning  of  the  2nd  of  November  and 
at  St.  Albert  on  the  3rd.  These  were  the  Rev.  Fathers  Platonides  Filas,  O.S.B.M., 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  125 


Superior;  Sozontius  Dydyk  and  Anton  Strozky,  and  the  lay  brother,  Jeremias  Jani- 
chewshyj.  There  were  four  instead  of  three  Sisters,  "Servants  of  Mary,"  viz.,  Sisters 
Ambrosia  Lenkewicz,  Emilia  Klapowska,  Isidora  Schepowska  and  Taida  Wrow- 
blewska. 

On  the  Sunday  following,  November  9th,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Filas  was  with  Bishop 
Legal  in  the  Beaver  Creek  district  at  the  house  of  Rev.  Fr.  Olczewski,  at  the  place 
which  later  on  took  the  name  of  Krakow.  There  he  put  himself  in  touch  with  his  com 
patriots,  who  were  delighted  to  see  again  priests  of  their  own  language  and  rite,  ex 
actly  as  they  had  in  their  own  native  land. 

Thenceforward,  the  Basilian  Fathers  busied  themselves  in  serving  the  different 
groups  of  their  own  people.  Not  having  any  house  as  yet  built  for  them,  the  "Servants 
of  Mary"  were  installed  in  a  room  above  the  old  church  and  sacristy  at  Edmonton. 
They  courageously  set  to  work  to  learn  English  and  they  bound  themselves  down  to 
follow  the  classes  given  by  the  Rev.  Mothers  of  the  "Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus." 

1.— PARISH  OF  MONASTER.     ST.   BASIL  THE  GREAT. 

The  Rev.  Superior  Fr.  Filas  chose  as  the  centre  of  his  operations,  a  spot  eight 
miles  south-east  of  Krakow,  which  is  called  today  Monaster,  and  from  the  following 
spring  he  was  busy  erecting  a  fairly  large  dwelling.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Dydyk  and  Rev. 
Fr.  Strozky  were  principally  employed  in  visiting  the  numerous  groups  established  in 
different  directions.  Rev.  Fr.  Strozky  was  occupied  particularly  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Star  and  Rev.  Fr.  Dydyk  with  the  Edmonton  Galicians  and  those  of  Rabbit  Hill 
and  Lake  Demay.  It  was  also  necessary  to  visit  the  Ruthenians  and  Slavs  near 
Lethbridge,  on  the  main  line  of  the  C.  P.  R.,  and  on  the  Crow's  Nest  Pass.  Father 
Strozky  even  made  some  journeys  to  Saskatchewan  to  visit  certain  groups  of  Ruthenians 
on  that  side. 

When  the  house  was  sufficiently  advanced  at  Monaster,  the  Sisters  "Servants 
of  Mary"  went  thither  to  establish  themselves  in  the  midst  of  the  Gahcian  popula 
tion  of  the  district.  There  were  now  only  three  of  them.  Sister  Taida  had  died  on 
May  23rd,  1903,  after  a  painful  decline. 

A  church  had  also  been  constructed  at  Rabbit  Hill  on  two  acres  of  ground  which 
the  people  had  acquired.  This  was  regularly  visited  by  the  Rev.  Fr.  Dydyk  or  the 
Rev.  Fr.  Strozky.  Another  group  was  formed  on  the  site  of  Lake  Demay  near  the 
Polish  colony,  and  a  little  church  erected  there  in  the  course  of  1906. 

But  an  event  of  considerable  importance  now  occurred.  The  branch  of  the 
Order  of  St.  Basil  the  Great,  which  had  supplied  us  with  Ruthenian  missionaries, 
had  accepted  the  Reform  of  Pope  Leo  XIII.  It  had  had  at  Us  head,  since  the 
beginning  of  the  Reform,  a  Jesuit  Father,  Very  Rev.  Father  Bapts  being  the  last 
in  charge.  But  the  time  had  now  come  when  the  Basilians  were  enabled  to  manage 
their  own  administration.  It  was  thought  that  no  better  choice  could  be  made  than 
that  of  the  Rev.  Fr.  Platomdes  Filas  himself  as  the  man  to  undertake  the  direction  of 
the  Order  as  its  Provincial  Superior.  In  truth,  the  Rev.  Fr.  Filas,  who  had  been 
proposed  for  the  vacant  Episcopate  of  Stanislaw,  was  just  the  Religious  qualified  for 
this  post  of  great  responsibility.  Intelligent  and  learned  in  the  Science  of  Theology 
and  of  Canon  Law,  an  excellent  Religious,  tactful  and  at  the  same  time  firm,  with 
ideas  perfectly  in  harmony  with  the  direction  of  the  Holy  See,  he  had,  then,  everything 
that  was  needed  to  direct  with  a  firm  and  sure  hand  the  destinies  of  the  branch  of  the 
Reformed  Order  of  St.  Basil  the  Great.  He  left  Alberta  in  the  latter  days  of 
February,  1905,  to  follow  the  call  of  duty,  but  it  was  not  without  regret  and  sadness 
that  he  left  behind  his  dear  missions  in  Canada. 


126  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


The  Rev.  Fr.  Dydyk  remained  in  charge  of  the  Rutheman  missions  of  the 
Diocese  with  only  two  other  Basilians,  Rev.  Fr.  Athanasius  Fihpow  and  the  Rev. 
Fr.  Chrysostomos  Tymocko.  The  Rev.  Fr.  Strozky  had  been  placed  at  Rosthern 
in  Saskatchewan. 

2. —PARISH  OF  ST.  JOSAPHAT.     FDMONTON. 

The  Ruthenian  population  of  Edmonton  had  been  increased  in  a  very  note 
worthy  manner.  There  were  no  longer  only  young  girls  in  service  in  private  families, 
but  many  families  had  settled  down  in  a  more  permanent  fashion,  principally  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  town,  and  soon  it  became  necessary  to  provide  for  their  religious 
services. 

The  Episcopal  corporation  gratuitously  handed  over  to  the  Basihan  Fathers  the 
half  of  a  block  of  land  which  they  had  acquired  in  this  part  of  the  town  and  soon, 
under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Fr.  Dydyk  the  building  of  a  handsome  church  was  begun 
and  was  finished  and  decorated  in  1907.  It  is  dedicated  to  St.  Josephat.  It  shows 
in  its  general  appearance  the  peculiar  features  of  Galician  churches.  It  is  surmounted 
by  a  dome,  painted  in  metallic  colors,  and  is  very  elegant. 

Rev.  Fr.  Dydyk,  having  been  named  in  1906  Superior  of  all  the  Basilians  of 
Manitoba  and  the  West,  with  Winnipeg  as  his  headquarters,  was  replaced  by  Rev.  Fr. 
Miron  Hura.  The  Sisters,  "Servants  of  Mary,"  had  already  made  some  recruits  and 
a  little  band  was  sent  to  Edmonton,  where,  as  at  Monaster,  they  kept  a  little  school  in 
which  they  taught  catechism  to  the  young.  Thus  the  work,  in  spite  of  the  initial  dif 
ficulties  and  the  endless  opposition  aroused  by  the  enemy  of  God  and  of  all  good,  has 
since  prospered  and  will  continue  to  bear  worthy  fruits  of  salvation. 

In  addition  to  the  church  at  Edmonton,  that  of  St.  Basil  the  Great  at  Monaster 
and  of  the  Nativity  of  the  B.  V.  M.  at  Rabbit  Hill,  there  are  many  other  little  churches 
or  chapels  built  by  the  Greek  Ruthenian  Catholics  and  visited  by  the  Basihan  Fathers: 
St.  Demetrius,  at  Skaro;  St.  Michael  at  Wostock;  The  Nativity  of  the  B.  V.  M.,  at 
Chipman;  The  Ascension  of  Our  Lord  at  Quarrel  Lake;  St.  Nicholas  at  Buford;  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Paul,  at  Mundare  and  St.  Nicholas  at  Warwick. 

Two  other  stations  unprovided  with  churches  are  also  visited;  one  east  of  Vegre- 
ville  and  the  other  twelve  miles  from  Innisfree.  Near  Lake  Demay  there  is  a  little 
church  built,  and  another  post  visited,  between  Lake  Demay  and  Quarrel  Lake.  As 
is  apparent,  there  is  need  of  a  dozen  missionaries  for  the  regular  visitation  and  service 
of  these  different  localities  and  there  are  now  no  more  than  three  Basihan  Fathers  for 
the  work,  "Messis  quidem  multa,  operarn  autem  pauci." 

Although  the  care  and  responsibility  of  the  Ruthenian  Catholics  has  been  taken 
from  the  shoulders  of  the  Latin  hierarchy,  let  us,  before  dismissing  the  subject,  record  a 
few  more  facts. 

When  Father  Sozontius  Dydyk  was  transferred  to  Winnipeg  he  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  Father  Athanasius  Filipow,  and  later  on,  Rev.  Father  Chrysostomos  Tym 
ocko.  They  stayed  together,  at  Mundare,  until  the  time  when  Father  Filipow  was  also 
called  to  Winnipeg. 

After  the  premature  death  of  Father  Tymocko,  December  19th,  1909,  Rev. 
Father  Nacratius  Kryzanowski  came  to  take  his  place.  A  large  and  beautiful  church 
was  soon  erected  at  Mundare,  in  the  Moscovite  style  of  architecture. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  First  Plenary  Council  of  Quebec,  through  the  efforts  of 
the  Archbishop  of  Toronto,  Mgr.  McEvay,  seconded  by  the  Bishops  of  the  North 
west,  it  was  agreed  by  all  the  Bishops  that  a  collection  would  be  taken  annually  for  ten 
years  in  all  the  dioceses  of  Canada,  in  order  to  raise,  every  year,  $10,000  for 
the  assistance  of  the  Catholic  missions  of  the  Greek  Ruthenian  rite.  Archbishop  Lange- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  127 


vin,  Bishop  Legal  and  Bishop  Pascal,  consented  the  provision  that  during  these  ten 
years,  no  collection  would  be  taken  in  the  dioceses  of  the  Province  of  Quebec  for  the 
schools  of  the  North-west.  In  that  manner  it  became  possible  to  help  our  Ruthenian 
brethren  in  many  ways. 

In  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert,  depending  on  this  annual  collection  to  have  the  money 
refunded  to  him,  Bishop  Legal  generously  advanced  $6,000  for  the  construction  of  a  fine 
brick  building  destined  to  be  the  convent  and  boarding  school  for  the  Sisters  "Servants 
of  Mary."  The  sum  of  $1,000  was  also  lent  for  the  construction  of  the  Ruthenian 
church  at  Mundare. 

In  1910,  a  memorable  visit  was  made  to  the  Greek  Ruthenians  of  the  North-west. 
It  was  no  other  than  the  great  Archbishop  Metropolitan  of  Lemberg,  in  Galicia,  the 
Most  Rev.  Andrew  Szeptycki  who  came  to  visit  his  people,  in  their  own  settlements. 
For  several  weeks  he  went  along  preaching,  exhorting,  hearing  confessions  personally, 
spending  days  and  nights,  for  the  spiritual  good  of  his  pious  and  devoted  countrymen, 
His  Grace  was  in  Edmonton  on  the  26th  of  October,  1910,  and  when  he  departed 
he  left  behind  the  renown  of  a  holy,  ardent  and  zealous  missionary. 

Another  important  event  which  had  been  expected  for  a  long  time  was  officially 
made  known,  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1913,  when  it  was  announced  that  the  Right 
Rev.  Nicetas  Budka  had  been  appointed  Bishop  of  the  Greek  Ruthenian  Rite,  with 
personal  jurisdiction  over  the  Ruthenian  Catholics  of  all  Canada. 

Of  course,  a  sense  of  relief  came  over  us  when  we  realized  that  all  the  responsibility 
of  these  Catholics  of  foreign  language,  rite  and  customs,  had  passed  to  some  one  else, 
better  qualified  to  understand  and  guide  them  in  the  way  of  their  salvation. 

Consequently  when  Bishop  Budka  came  to  visit  his  people,  in  Edmonton,  on  the 
26th  of  February,  1913,  and  on  the  following  days,  we  were  only  too  happy  to  wel 
come  the  one  appointed  by  God  to  govern  the  Ruthenian  population  of  Canada.  We 
gladly  relinquished  into  his  hands  the  trust  we  had  exercised  before,  keeping  however, 
m  our  heart,  a  deep  and  sincere  affection  for  our  brethren  of  the  Greek  Ruthenian 
rite,  over  whom  we  had  ruled  for  over  ten  years. 

3.—  THE  "STAR"  CHURCH  LAW  SUIT. 

Before  closing  this  account  of  the  establishment  and  development  of  our  Greek 
Ruthenian  Missions,  it  is  important  to  say  a  word  on  the  famous  law  suit  begun 
years  ago  and  only  terminated  towards  the  end  of  1907,  after  having  exhausted  all 
the  possibilities  of  our  law  system,  even  as  far  as  the  Imperial  Privy  Council  of  Eng- 
land. 

The  difficulties  commenced  from  the  time  of  the  Rev.  M.  Zacklynski,  who  had 
taken  charge  of  this  congregation,  the  year  which  followed  the  departure  of  Rev. 
Tymkiewitcz  in  July,  1  900. 

In  spite  of  all  that  can  be  insinuated,  these  difficulties  were  raised  through  money 
considerations  and  in  no  way  on  the  subject  of  the  religious  question.  The  three 
trustees  found  themselves  at  variance  with  their  pastor  regarding  the  church  accounts. 
The  natural  consequence  was  some  disagreeable  quarrels  and  reciprocal  accusations 
and  the  three  trustees,  following  the  natural  propensity  of  stubborn  people,  decided  to 
make  matters  worse  by  passing  over  to  schism. 

For  this  purpose  they  approached  a  Russian  priest,  Rev.  M.  Korchinski,  who  for 
some  years  resided  quite  near  at  Wostok.  Some  other  families  joined  them.  Naturally 
they  had  a  perfect  right  to  make  themselves  schismatics  and  pass  over  to  any  religious 
sect  of  their  choice,  but  they  ought  to  have  understood  that  by  the  very  fact  of  so 
doing  they  were  losing  "the  trust"  which  had  been  confided  to  them,  over  the  church 
property  of  Star.  This  they  would  not  understand,  and  they  tried  to  transfer  this  pro- 


128  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


perty  to  the  Schismatical  church.  Rev.  M.  Korchinski  insisted  before  admitting  them 
into  his  church  on  a  public  and  solemn  abjuration,  in  which  he  made  them  declare 
that  they  renounced  the  errors  of  the  Roman  church. 

It  was  only  after  this  abjuration  had  been  made  on  a  Sunday,  in  presence  of  the 
whole  of  his  congregation  that  they  were  formally  admitted  into  the  Russian  Orthodox 
church.  Rev.  M.  Korchinski  then  attempted  to  occupy  the  church  and  to  hold  religious 
service  there,  but  the  great  majority  of  the  population  had  remained  what  they  were  before, 
Greek  Catholics,  united  to  Rome,  and  they  opposed  the  taking  possession  of  the  church. 
Rev.  M.  Korchinski  called  on  the  assistance  of  the  police,  to  maintain  him  in  pos 
session.  The  police  came,  but  there  were  altercations  and  disorder,  so  that  finally 
the  church  was  closed  and  its  use  forbidden  to  Schismatics  as  well  as  Catholics.  Rev. 
M.  Zachlynski  arranged  that  three  other  trustees  should  be  appointed  and  these  in 
stituted  law  proceedings  against  M.  Korchinski  and  the  former  trustees  to  recover  their 
property. 

The  examination  of  witnesses  began  at  Edmonton  in  May,  1902,  before  Judge 
Scott.  Numerous  witnesses  were  called  on  both  sides.  All  the  circumstances  were  ex 
amined  into,  with  the  greatest  minuteness.  During  the  course  of  the  law  suit  Rev. 
M.  Zoldak  arrived  from  Europe  and  a  little  later  also  the  first  Basilian  Fathers,  who 
were  able  to  give  evidence  on  the  condition  of  these  Greek  Ruthemans  having  emigrated 
to  Canada.  They  knew  the  towns  and  villages  whence  they  had  come  and  not  one 
of  them  had  even  been  a  Schismatic  or  in  union  with  the  Russian  Orthodox  church. 
It  was  not  till  the  September  of  the  following  year,  1903,  that  the  hearing  was  finished 
and  Judge  Scott  issued  his  decision  a  little  later,  giving  the  verdict  in  favor  of  the 
Catholics  and  obliging  the  other  party  to  restore  them  their  property. 

An  appeal  against  this  decision  was  lodged  before  the  full  court  of  the  North 
west,  which  examined  the  question  afresh,  with  the  result  that  the  former  sentence  was 
confirmed.  Be  it  said  to  the  honor  of  our  Judicial  Bench  of  the  North-west,  composed 
entirely  of  Protestant  Judges,  with  one  sole  exception,  that  they  decided  to  uphold 
the  rights  of  the  Catholics,  absolutely.  Of  the  five  Judges,  Mr.  Justice  Sifton  alone 
dissenting.  If  fanaticism  and  bigotry  had  wished  to  intervene  it  had  utterly  failed. 

After  this  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Northwest,  the  Schismatical  party 
decided  to  appeal  against  it,  anew,  before  the  Supreme  Court  of  Canada.  The  ques 
tion  now  seems  to  have  wandered  from  the  domain  of  justice  into  other  regions. 

The  Supreme  Court  of  Canada  reversed  the  former  judgment  which  had  been 
confirmed  by  the  Plenary  Court  of  the  Northwest.  Great  stress  was  laid  on  a  certain 
permit  to  cut  the  timber  which  had  been  employed  in  the  construction  of  the  church. 
It  appears  that  it  had  been  asked  for  a  Greek  Orthodox  church.  This  application  had 
been  corrected  and  on  the  permit  it  had  been  added  "for  a  Greek  Catholic  church." 
Who  had  made  the  application?  They  did  not  trouble  to  enquire.  This  correction 
must  have  been  made  in  the  regular  course  by  the  officials  of  the  land  department  at 
the  request  of  the  interested  party  and  with  the  aid  of  their  sworn  interpreter.  In  any 
case  it  was  not  done  by  the  intermediary  of  the  local  Catholic  authorities,  who  made 
no  application  for  this  permit  nor  for  its  correction,  and  what  is  even  more,  they  were 
totally  ignorant  of  its  existence. 

The  Catholics,  strong  in  their  rights,  resolved  to  appeal  from  this  astonishing  de 
cision  to  the  Privy  Council  of  England.  There  was  some  difficulty  in  obtaining  per 
mission  to  make  this  appeal,  but  it  was  nevertheless  granted.  The  case  was  then  dis 
cussed  afresh  before  the  Privy  Council.  This  was  in  the  month  of  August,  1907. 
The  deferred  decision  was  not  made  public  until  the  festival  season  of  the  New  Year, 
1908.  It  maintained  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court,  refusing  to  recognize  the 
rights  of  the  Catholics  to  remain  in  possession  of  their  property. 

It  would  be  too  long  to  examine  this  judgment  in  all  its  details.  It  pretended  that 
the  congregation  at  Star  had  been  since  its  commencement,  and  could  never  have  been 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  129 


oherwise  than  a  Schismatical  congregation,  separated  from  Rome.  It  must  needs 
have  required  from  the  distinguished  judges  an  immense  amount  of  "good  will"  to  adopt 
this  view. 

Even  when  the  Bishop  of  St.  Albert  had  consented  to  hand  over  the  property  so  that 
it  might  be  entered  in  the  name  of  certain  "trustees,"  the  property  was  still  put  in  "trust" 
for  the  purposes  of  the  Congregation  of  the  Greek  Catholic  Church  at  Limestone  Lake." 
The  judgment  adds,  "in  words  drawn  apparently  by  Bishop  Legal." 

It  is  assuredly  of  little  importance  by  whom  the  wording  was  chosen.  It  is  suf 
ficient  to  know  that  these  expressions  were  adopted  and  accepted  by  the  "trustees."  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  Bishop  Legal  was  absent  in  Europe  at  the  time  when  this  transaction 
took  place,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  formula  adopted. 

Another  remark:  when  the  trustees  with  certain  others  applied  to  the  Rev.  Kor- 
chinski  to  be  admitted  into  his  church,  the  judgment  admits  that  he  had  the  "tactless 
ness"  to  ask  for  a  formal  abjuration.  It  was  no  tactlessness,  but  under  the  circumstances 
it  was  a  necessity  to  act  thus,  because  a  formal  change  of  religion  was  to  take  place. 
The  judgment  runs  thus:  "Unfortunately  Korchinski  insisted  on  public  renunciation  of 
Roman  doctrine." 

This,  indeed  is  "unfortunate"  and  "most  damaging"  for  the  plea  that  these  people 
had  been  schismatics  from  the  beginning.  How  was  it  that  the  Rev.  M.  Korchinski, 
who  had  been  living  for  some  years  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  this  locality,  could 
have  been  unaware  that  these  people  belonged  to  his  church?  We  repeat  it,  there 
must  needs  have  been  required  an  immense  amount  of  "good  will"  for  somebody  else 
to  sustain  such  a  pretension. 

The  Court  of  the  Supreme  Council  comprised  five  Lords,  of  whom  two  were 
Scotch  Presbyterians  and  three  Orangemen.  It  must  be  allowed  there  would  seem 
to  be  no  great  chance  of  sympathy  there  for  a  Catholic  cause. 

However  that  may  be,  the  cause  is  finished,  with  the  result  that  the  poor  Catholics 
are  deprived  of  their  church  property,  and  their  trustees  who  have  followed  the  case 
with  full  confidence  in  their  rights,  will  be  ruined  without  even  being  able  perhaps  to 
succeed  in  paying  the  whole  of  the  costs  incurred.  In  spite  of  this  adverse  sentence  all 
those  who  are  at  all  conversant  with  the  question  and  who  know  the  condition  of  affairs, 
as  they  then  were,  and  as  they  are  still,  will  maintain  their  private  and  absolute  con 
viction:  "that  this  properly  had  been  obtained  and  occupied  by  a  congregation  of  Catho 
lics  of  the  Greek  Rutheman  rite,  united  to  Rome,  and  in  submission  to  the  Pope,  and 
that  it  has  been  allowed  to  pass  over  to  an  entirely  different  religious  body,  viz.,  'the 
Russian  Orthodox  church,'  which  recognizes  as  its  head  the  Czar  of  all  the  Russians." 
It  is  an  unfortunate  precedent  in  a  country  where  so  many  religious  denominations  may 
be  liable  to  find  themselves  in  conflict. 


130 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


REV.   FATHER  H.   GRANDIN,   O.M.I. 

Provincial  of  the  Missionary  Oblates  of  Mary   Immaculate, 
Alberta    and   Saskatchewan. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  131 


CHAPTER  X. 


ST.  ALBERT,  1914 


A   RETROSPECT  AND  APPRECIATION. 

More  than  half  a  century  has  passed  since  St.  Albert  was  first  founded.  It  is 
no  longer  an  msignficant  hamlet,  or  village,  but  a  town  of  rising  importance,  with  its 
own  bank,  hotels,  stores,  industries,  and  finally  its  own  municipal  organization,  with  its 
mayor  and  town  councillors.  Its  principal  claim,  however,  rests  on  its  proud  position  as 
the  first  Episcopal  See  of  the  North-west,  the  place  hallowed  by  the  memory  of  saintly 
Bishop  Grandm  and  the  mecca  of  a  devout  pilgrimage. 

No  visitor  of  note  to  Edmonton,  the  capital  of  the  province,  fails  to  visit  the  pretty 
suburb  of  St.  Albert,  especially  now  that  since  1906  the  Canadian  Northern  railway 
has  a  line  running  past  it. 

Many  distinguished  men,  travelling  through  the  North-west  have  repaired  thither; 
great  prelates  of  the  church;  rulers  of  the  State,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  three 
successive  Governors-General  of  Canada:  the  Earl  of  Aberdeen,  Lord  Minto  and  Earl 
Grey,  as  well  as  many  distinguished  politicians,  such  as  Sir  Wilfrid  Laurier,  when 
premier  and  now  leader  of  the  opposition,  the  Hon.  Sir  R.  L.  Borden,  premier, 
who  have  paid  visits  to  St.  Albert  and  its  Bishop,  as  a  tribute  of  homage  to  the  dis 
tinguished  part  which  St.  Albert  and  the  missionaries  of  the  diocese  have  played  in  the 
work  of  civilization  and  the  extension  of  the  Empire. 

It  is  within  nine  miles  north-west  of  Edmonton,  and  thither  on  November  1st,  the 
Feast  of  All  Saints,  on  a  bright  morning  in  the  late  beautiful  Indian  summer,  a  very 
humble  pilgrim,  the  present  writer,  repaired. 

Suddenly,  within  the  last  mile,  the  road  descended  to  the  valley  of  St.  Albert,  be 
tween  spruce  groves.  Far  off,  on  the  other  side,  dominating  the  scene,  rose  the 
gleaming  spires  of  "The  Mission." 

Thither,  through  the  village,  I  hurried,  pausing  only  on  the  bridge-way  that  spans 
the  river  Sturgeon  and  connects  both  parts  of  the  town.  This,"  I  reflected,  "is  the 
fourth  bridge,  the  successor  of  that  early  one,  the  first  one  erected  west  of  Winnipeg 
and  placed  here  by  the  first  pioneering  missionaries  of  St.  Albert." 

It  was  with  rare  foresight,  for  now  a  settler's  wagon,  filled  with  household  effect? 
and  farm  implements,  and  carrying  the  family,  is  crossing,  making  for  the  "homestead" 
one  hundred  miles  up  north;  while  the  other  wagons,  heavily  laden  with  grain  and 
farm  produce,  are  wending  their  way  to  Edmonton,  since  the  bridge  forms  the  prin 
cipal  point  of  convergence  for  the  greater  portion  of  the  northern  traffic  making  to  and 
from  the  capital  of  Alberta. 

As  I  ascended  the  slopes  of  the  charming  hill  and  stood  upon  the  plateau,  upon 
which  "The  Mission,"  as  it  is  still  affectionately  called,  rises,  the  Guardian  and  Sentinel 
of  the  landscape  for  miles  around,  I  realized  the  justice  of  Bishop  Tache's  enthusiasm 
in  1864. 

Here  in  front  of  me  was  a  vast  extent  of  elegant  buildings,  neatly  separated  from 
the  hill  slopes  by  a  long  palisading,  painted  white  with  gates  and  tourniquets  quaintly 
placed  at  intervals,  enclosing  with  its  numerous  buildings,  gardens,  outhouses,  barns  and 
cemetery,  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  square  mile. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


If  Bishop  Tache,  seeing  it  in  1864  after  a  few  years  progress  felt  proud  of  his 
choice,  as  but  the  site  for  one  more  new  mission,  then  the  present  Bishop  has  further 
reason  for  rejoicing  today. 

The  landscape  is  none  the  less  charming  than  of  old.  The  view  is  indeed  superb. 
The  picturesque  homes  of  the  present  inhabitants  are  still  dotted  along  the  banks  of 
the  river,  which  winds  serpent-like  between  them,  and  on  its  slopes  leading  higher  to 
the  forests  there  are  good  farms,  east  and  west,  with  their  broad  meadows  in  which  I 
can  see  the  threshing  machine  at  work,  puffing  and  snorting  out  its  cloud  of  finely  chopped 
straw.  To  my  right  gleams  with  its  silvered  coat  of  mail  that  feature  of  every  suc 
cessful  village  in  the  west  districts — the  elevator;  the  sign  of  prosperous  harvests  around 
for  the  farmers  whose  grain  it  stores  until  it  is  conveyed  by  the  freight  train  passing  under 
it  to  the  busy  marts  of  commerce. 

There,  too,  high  on  the  river  bank,  is  a  goodly,  modern  mill  with  a  capacity  for 
turning  out  a  hundred  barrels  a  day,  built  now  in  brick  and  run  by  steam — not  un 
mindful  of  the  fate  and  the  past  misfortunes  of  its  four  predecessors,  destroyed  by 
flood  and  prairie  fires.  The  first  two  mills  had  been  built  by  the  missionaries.  This 
one  is  owned  by  the  Municipality,  quite  as  daring  and  undaunted  as  ever  were  the 
first  St.  Albert  pioneers. 

Then,  farther  west,  beyond  the  lofty  trestle  railway  bridge,  spanning  the  river  in 
its  circuitous  path,  there  sparkles  afar  off,  like  a  silvered  mirror  in  a  case  of  emerald, 
under  the  clear  flame  of  the  Alberta  sun,  the  lake  of  St.  Albert,  called  by  the  Indians 
the  "Big  Lake,"  with  its  waters  reaching  to  the  horizon,  pouring  themselves  into  the 
Sturgeon  which  flows  eastward  through  pleasant  meadows  and  forest  clad  slopes,  till 
passing  St.  Albert  it  winds  its  way  to  lose  itself  farther  on,  in  the  Saskatchewan.  While 
above,  the  high,  clear  vault  of  heaven,  the  virginal  dome  of  cool,  clear,  crisp,  open  air, 
young,  life-giving  and  free,  breathes  upon  the  country  side,  hallowing  with  its  charm  of 
western  grandeur  and  boundless  hope,  this  site  chosen  as  the  See  of  a  Bishop  of  the 
pioneering  Northwest. 

I  turned  from  this  sight  at  my  feet  and  around  me  to  view  the  "Mission"  behind. 
I  was  charmed  again  at  the  sight  of  the  well  built,  artistically  designed  buildings  with 
their  variegated  painted  walls  harmoniously  blending  with  the  quaint  porticoes,  veran 
das,  turrets  and  dormer  windows — all  clustering  around  the  uncompleted  Cathedral 
enshrined  in  the  centre — a  "tout  ensemble"  of  dignity  and  repose. 

Behind  and  around  in  modest  obscurity  peeped  out  the  outhouses,  the  home  farms 
and  vegetable  gardens,  and  then,  far  behind  them  still,  the  meadow  lands  and  wheat 
fields,  reclaimed  from  the  virgin  soil  of  the  forest  by  the  laborious  toil  of  the  first  mis 
sionaries,  who  taught  the  arts  of  cultivation  to  the  early  nomad  settlers  at  St.  Albert 
by  their  persuasive  object  lesson  of  civilization. 

As  I  was  wondering  which  of  the  buildings  to  visit  first,  the  merry  sounds  of  chil 
dren  let  loose  for  play  drew  me  to  the  western  end  of  the  Mission  Enclosure,  where 
stands  the  Orphanage  of  the  Gray  Nuns,  or  Sisters  of  Charity,  of  Montreal.  I  found 
the  gray  habited  nuns  with  their  orphan  children,  teaching  them  to  swing  or  play  games 
in  their  pleasant  gardens.  In  many  cases  the  faces  of  the  children  at  once  betrayed  un 
mistakably  their  origin.  They  were  the  descendants  of  those  native  Indians  for  whose 
sakes  these  frail  women  came  hither  to  these  territories  from  the  East,  about  fifty  years 
ago,  journeying  across  the  great  Lakes  in  their  birch  bark  canoes  and  crossing  the  prairies 
from  Red  River  in  rough  carts  to  spend  lives  of  self-denial  and  silent  heroism  in  the 
North-west. 

From  humble  beginnings  they  have  so  well  succeeded  that  now  they  possess  a  large, 
well  appointed  home,  named  from  their  foundress,  "Youville  Convent,"  measuring  250 
x  35  feet,  the  eastern  part  of  which  forms  the  Orphanage,  or  Industrial  School,  in 
which  they  have  seventy-five  pupils  under  their  care.  These  are  taught,  besides  re 
ligion,  and  their  ordinary  lessons,  to  be  useful  members  of  society.  The  girls  learn  to 


fJS:3t$!^^ 

'""'•"""'^v"""""'?^^^^ 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  133 


sew,  embroider,  to  do  housework,  knitting,  cooking,  gardening  and  light  work  around 
the  farm,  while  the  boys  also  learn  manual  labor  and  work  on  the  farm  under  the  tui 
tion  of  an  experienced  farmer.  Here  they  may  stay  as  long  as  they  choose,  till  they 
come  out  the  efficient  farmers  that  so  many  are  now  recognized  to  be. 

It  is  a  credit  to  this  institution  to  recall  the  verdict  of  the  board  of  International 
Examiners  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exhibition  held  by  the  United  States  of  America 
at  Chicago  in  1 893,  when  it  awarded  a  medal  for  the  school  work  at  St.  Albert. 
"For  General  Proficiency,  the  Industrial  work  in  blacksmithing  and  carpentering  being 
of  the  very  best." 

The  other  portion,  west  of  the  building,  is  reserved  as  a  Convent  Boarding  and 
Day  School,  where  as  many  as  1 25  children  receive  the  usual  high-class  education. 
There  are  now  about  twenty-five  Sisters,  of  whom  Rev.  Mother  Dandurand  was  until 
lately  the  distinguished  Superior  Vicar,  which  position  is  similar  to  that  of  a  Provincial. 
Recently  Rev.  Mother  Page  has  been  appointed  to  the  post.  Alberta  owes  a  great 
debt  of  gratitude  to  these  Gray  Nuns  for  their  share  in  the  opening  out  of  civilization 
in  this  province. 

On  the  east  of  the  Youville  Convent,  standing  in  a  spacious  property,  there  was 
to  arise  in  a  few  years  a  noble  Cathedral  worthy  of  a  great,  flourishing  diocese,  but 
for  the  decision  that  the  cathedral  had  to  be  transferred  to  Edmonton  which  has  been 
made  the  metropolitan  see  of  the  archdiocese,  lately  created  by  the  Holy  See. 

The  crypt  alone  had  been  built  so  far  and  was  roofed  over  for  the  time,  and 
in  this  condition  the  church  was  opened  in  the  second  week  of  January,  1906,  for 
public  worship. 

Behind  the  High  Altar  there  is  placed  the  tomb  of  the  First  Bishop  of  St.  Albert, 
the  Right  Rev.  Vital  Justin  Grandin,  O.M.I.  He  was  born  at  St.  Pierre  le  Cours, 
in  the  diocese  of  Laval,  France,  on  the  8th  of  February,  1829.  He  was  elected  Dec. 
1  I  th,  1857,  Bishop  of  Satala,  and  oppointed  coadjutor  to  the  Right  Rev.  Alexander 
Tache,  Bishop  of  St.  Boniface,  Manitoba,  and  consecrated  under  this  title  November 
30th,  1859.  He  was  transferred  to  the  See  of  St.  Albert,  September  22nd,  1871,  and 
died  on  June  3rd,  1902,  leaving  behind  him  in  the  whole  North-west  an  undying 
reputation  as  a  brave  and  fearless  pioneer  of  civilization,  and  a  heroic  apostle  and  saintly 
man. 

And  Hero,  Saint  and  Apostle,  he  certainly  was!  Fulfilling  St.  Paul's  descrip 
tion  of  himself:  "In  journeys  often,  in  perils  of  water,  in  perils  from  the  Gentiles,  in 
labor  and  painfulness,  in  much  watching,  in  hunger  and  in  thrist,  in  fastings  often  and  in 
cold,"  and  now,  after  all  his  travels,  he  rests  in  peace! 

He  was  a  man,  single-minded,  large-hearted,  who  was  led  entirely  by  one  grand 
enthusiasm — a  passionate  personal  love  for  Jesus  Christ  and  His  Cause.  To  prove 
his  devotion  and  to  extend  the  Kingdom  of  God  he  traversed  the  pathless  North-west, 
time  and  again;  hurrying  hither  and  thither  to  plant  the  standard  of  Christian  civilization 
and  claiming  the  land  for  Christ;  leading  to  Him  captive  souls  from  the  Indian  tribes 
before  they  should  be  debased  by  the  onrushing  van  of  a  worldly  civilization,  and 
brought  to  worship  Mammon  and  vice  as  its  gods. 

He  overcame  all  difficulties  and  obstacles,  leaving  behind  for  his  successors  and 
fellow  workers  the  memory  of  a  living  example  of  the  high  heroism  of  Faith,  Hope, 
Charity  and  Self-Sacrifice  in  action. 

During  life  he  slept  in  mud  huts,  log  cabins,  in  the  open  and  by  the  streams,  some 
times  under  the  same  furskin  wrappings  as  his  vermin-covered  Indian  neophytes;  some 
times  lost  on  the  ice  of  the  great  lakes  in  the  deadly  cold  and  in  peril  of  his  life;  night 
after  night  in  the  forest  with  the  cold  stars  above  him!  And  now,  he  sleeps  in  peace 
in  the  vast  crypt  of  the  Cathedral  of  this  Diocese  which  his  zeal  has  raised  to  Christ, 
his  Master. 


34  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


"God   accept   him!      Christ    receive   him!" 

In  life,  humble,  child-like,  poor;  in  death  he  lies  in  dignity  and  honor!  Truly  his 
favorite  text  is  verified:  "Infirma  mundi  elegit  Deus"  ("The  weak  things  of  the  world 
hath  God  chosen.  ) 

His   throne,   hard  by  in   the  Sanctuary,   is  now  filled   by  his  own  chosen   coadjutor 

;ssor,  a  man  after  his  own  heart,  the  Right  Rev.   Emile  Joseph  Legal,  O.M  I 
a  Pioneer  himself,  trained  in  a  like  school  of  privation  and  hardship,  but  also  peculiarly 
by    his    early    education    and    experience    and    special    mental    habits    of    organizing 
Iity     as   the   man   needed    for   the   time,    to   carry   on   and   consolidate   the   work   of   the 
newly    formed    diocese,    for    the    foundation    of   which    the   clearing   was    wrought   by    the 
axe,   the  pick   and   the   shovel   of   the   first   saintly   pioneer.      After   the   poet   and   prophet 
:omes    the   statesman    and    law    giver.      After    Grandin    comes    Legal!       Surely,    here,    a 
more  than  ordinary  coincidence. 

Emile  Joseph  Legal,  second  Bishop  of  St.  Albert,  was  ordained  priest  in  1874 
Unginally  of  the  diocese  of  Nantes,  where  he  distinguished  himself  by  a  literary  and 
scientific  career,  and  was  for  some  time  a  successful  professor  of  Mathematics,  he  came 

I    to  join   the  Oblate   Fathers  in   their  work   in   the   North-west 
hor    sixteen    years    he    labored    among    the    Blackfoot    Indians,    especially    on    the 
Peigan  and  the  Blood  Reserves,  at  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.     There  he  learned 
love   the   Indians  in   spite  of  the   ungrateful   nature   of  his   task,    and    its   seeming  poor 
results    but  with  characteristic,    indomitable  patience,   he  plodded   on,    refusing  all   offers 
I  here  he  learned  to  be  in  turn  school-master,   architect,  cook,  doctor  and 
rave   digger.       Indeed    he   was   engaged    in    d.ggmg    a    grave    for    the    corpse    of   a 
poor   little   Indian   child,    abandoned    by    its   parents,    when    he    received    the   news   of   his 
nomination    to    the    Episcopate. 

On  the  I  3th  of  May,  1897,  the  brief  was  received  from  Rome,  naming  him  coad- 
JTUt°r  Tin-?8  ,  sVccesslon  to  Blsh°P  Grandin.  He  was  consecrated  on  the  17th  of 
June,  1897  under  the  title  of  Bishop  of  Pogla  and  became  the  Second  Bishop  of  St 

rl  on  the  death  of  his  saintly  predecessor.  He  has  since  justified  Bishop  GrandiiTs 
choice,  and  the  bold  conception  of  the  projected  Cathedral  is  ,ndicat,ve  of  the  man 
called  upon  to  rule  the  destinies  of  the  diocese. 

Here  in  the  spacious  Cathedral   crypt   in   the    far  West,    the   Bishop   has  been   able 

lebrate  with  dignity  and  impressiveness  the  imposing  ceremonies  of  the  church's 
liturgy  according  to  the  full  Roman  Pontifical  rite. 

Here,  he  has  ordained  some  of  his  new  priests— a  moving  spectacle.  At  such  a 
one  the  present  writer  was  privileged  to  be  present.  The  plain  chant,  sung  by  a  double 
choir  of  the  orphans  in  the  body  of  the  church  under  the  direction  of  the  nuns  and  a 
surpliced  choir  of  the  young  students  of  the  "Petit  Seminaire"  m  the  sanctuary  stalls 
added  to  the  complete  rubrical  and  ancient  character  of  the  majestic  service  It  is 
among  these  young  boys  around  him,  near  his  throne,  that  the  Bishop  hopes  to  find 
lidates  for  the  needs  of  the  future  extension  of  his  ever  growing  diocese. 

Ift^l  U^L6  th^sa1cred,edince  and  stand  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  on  the  spot  where 
D4,    Bishop    Tache   planted    his   staff    to    mark    the    site    of   the    new    mission     on-e 
more  facing  the  south  and  surveying,  as  it  were,  the  whole  of  the  diocese    I  find  myself 
asking    the   question,    "What   will    be    the    future   of   this   vast    diocese?" 

To  judge  from  the  past,  its  wonderful  birth  in  a  hitherto  unknown  and  uncivilized 
country;  the  perilous  time  of  its  infancy,  surmounted,  by  the  labors  and  self-sacrificing 
efforts,  of  the  brave  missionaries  in  the  face  of  overwhelming  difficulties  and  obstacles- 
J  wonderful  development  already  exhibited;  its  share,  too,  of  the  undoubting  calm 
spirit  of  optimism,  the  genius  of  the  West,  with  its  buoyant  youth  exulting  in  its  strength- 
breathing  an  atmosphere  of  enthusiasm  and  progress— a  communicable  quality  all 
lead  us  to  foresee  with  the  eye  of  Faith  and  Hope  a  brilliant  future  for  this  young 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


Province   of   the   Church    Militant.      The   answer   to    this   question   was   given   when    the 
Holy  See  has  raised  the  See  of  St.  Albert  to  a  higher  dignity  in  creating  a  new  eccles 
iastical    Province.      Less   than   a   century   ago   the   North-west   Territories   were   a   closed 
book,  save  to  the  few  traders  who  jealously  kept  its  secrets.     Christianity  was  unknown  to 
its   native   tribes.      In    1817,    in   all   the   vast   territory   extending    from    Manitoba    to 
Rocky  Mountains,   and  the  northern  glacial  regions,  including  Manitoba,  Saskatchewan, 
Alberta  and  the  northern  districts  of  Athabasca,   Mackenzie  and  the  Yukon     and  com- 
posing  the  original   diocese  of  St.    Boniface,   there  was  not  one  priest.      In    1818 
were    two;    1840,    three;    1842,    one    Bishop    and    four   priests;    1845,    one    Bishop    and 
six  priests  in    1886  there  were  four  Bishops  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  pries 
in   1891    five  Bishops;  in   1902  there  were  seven  Bishops  and  three  hundrec 
seven   priests. 

In  dying  in   1902,   Bishop  Grandin  was  consoled  with  the  thought  that  the  North 
west  counted"  100,000  Catholics,  baptized  in  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 

The    Archdiocese    of    Edmonton,    as    now    constituted    since    the    creation    of    the 
diocese  of  Calgary  in  November,    1912,  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  55th  par 
of  latitude;  on  the  east  by  the   1  10th  degree  of  longitude;  on  the  south  by  the  northern 
boundary   line  of   the   30th   Townships,   and   on   the   west  by   the   summit 
Mountains. 

At   the  north   end   of   the   Cathedral,    resting   behind    the   sanctuary,    in   its   shadow 
are  three  buildings  intimately  connected  with  its  past,   its  present  and  us   future 
old-time  log  hut   on   my   left,   that  low-roofed   barn     is  surely   out   of  place ,  here 
old   and  hardly   worth   the   repairing   it   has   evidently   so   often   received       It .   shou       Ml 
cumber  this  site.      "But  I  am  rebuked.      That  poor  hut,   which  even  at  its  best  allov ec 
the  snow  and  ram  to  enter  it  as  into  their  kingdom,  was  the  first  Cathedral  of  the  tint 
Bishop  of  this  diocese.      No  vandal  hand  has  dared  to  strike  it  down. 

On  my  right  hand  stands   a   graceful,    turreted,   church-like  building,    elegantly   de 
signed,    but   of   small    dimensions.      It   has   been   added    to    and    renovated,    but    from    the 
descriptions  of  the  early  chroniclers  I  have  little  hesitation  m  naming  this  as  the  s 
Cathedral,    buill    for    Bishop    Grandin,    now    no    longer    coadjutor    to     he ^Bishop 
Boniface,  under  the  title  of  Satala  "in  parlibus."  but  First  Bishop  °  .  StV^^yW^ 
See  he  was  solemnly  enthroned  in  the  building  now  before  me  on  the  first 
Easter  in    1872,   and  in  which  he  dedicated   the  new  diocese   to   the   Immaculate 
of    Mary. 

It   had   been  built   by    the   Bishop,    Fathers    and   brothers,    helped   by    the   villagers 
"Many  a  time,"   wrote   Bishop  Grandin,   "have  I   seen  two  priests  in  their  soutanes 
the   roof  of  t^   church,   engaged  in  nailing   on   the   shingles"      Though   only  measuring 
originally  80  x   32    feet,   and  built  of  big  timber   and  planks  cut  by  hand  with  the  pit 
"w     nevertheless,    it    was    a    chef    d'oeuvre    to    the    poor    Indian,    and    Half-breeds    who 
would  come  miles  to  visit  it,    for  they  had  never  seen  its  like  before. 

It  was  in  this  church  in    1890  that  they  had  the  satisfaction  of  witnessing  one 
their  own,  the  first  native  priest  of  these  parts,   Fr.  Cunningham,  raised 
the    altar.  i 

The  growing  needs  of  the  congregation  rendered  a  larger  church  necessary  and 
it  has  now  been  Eclipsed  by  the  new  Cathedral.  But  so  well  built  was  it,  that  it  w  11 
emain  for  many  a  long  year  to  link  the  present  with  the  past,  though  now  devoted  to 
e™r  use  in  connection  with  the  Cathedral.  Its  present  purpose,  for  which  1 
been  splendidly  rearranged,  with  modern,  up-to-date  fittings,  is  to  provide  assembly 
rooms  with  a  large  concert  hall  and  stage  for  the  Catholic  congregation 

Between    these    relics    of    the    past    there    rises    the    "Little    Seminary    of    the 
Family"  a  substantial  modern  building,   the  homes  of  these  young  choristers  who  serve 
the  Sanctuary  and  fill  the  stalls  of  the  Cathedral  on  all  important   functions.      It  is  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


successor  of  a  much  smaller  and  humbler  diocesan  ecclesiastical  preparatory  school, 
preparing  for  the  great  seminaries,  such  as  Bishop  Grandin  had  already  started  in  1875 
on  a  small  scale. 

Foreseeing  the  future  growth  of  his  diocese.  Bishop  Grandin  had  chosen  some  feu- 
Hal  f-breeds  belonging  to  the  country-side,  of  the  more  respectable  families,  whom  ht 
wished  to  be  trained  to  learning  and  piety,  and  their  vocation  to  the  ecclesiastical  state 
fostered.  Over  them  he  placed  Fr.  Henry  Grandin,  his  nephew;  whom  he  had  brought 
from  France  in  1874,  together  with  fifteen  other  missionaries,  and  who  is  now  the  rev 
erend  Superior  of  all  the  Oblates  in  the  dioceses  of  Alberta  and  Saskatchewan. 

The  site  of  this  embryonic  seminary  was  that  now  occupied  by  the  open  space  in 
front  of  the  new  Cathedral  facade. 

The  new  Seminary  was  opened  in  the  early  part  of  1900  and  solemnly  blessed 
later  in  the  year  by  Bishop  Grandin,  who  retained  for  himself  the  post  of  Professor 
Ecclesiastical  History  to  the  end  of  his  life,  in  spite  of  his  infirmities.  Fr.  L.  Cu- 
ener,  O.M.I.,  was  its  first  director,  starting  with  a  handful  of  boys.  The  early  dif 
ficulties  were  very  many;  the  work  of  securing  and  increasing  the  number  of  boys  was 
very  harassing  and  required  much  zeal,  but  these  were  forthcoming  and  gradually  the 
organization  assumed  permanence. 

In  the  early  months  of  1905,  Fr.  G.  Nordmann,  O.M.I.,  succeeded  as  Superior 
and  carried  on  for  some  years  the  work  of  progress  until,  in  September  1911  the 
seminary  passed  under  the  control  of  the  "Sons  of  Mary  Immaculate,"  and  under 
the  direction  of  Rev.  Father  J.  Boutin,  its  actual  revered  superior,  who  has  maintained 
the  former  efficiency.  The  course  followed  is  the  recognized  classical  one,  while  the 
basis  of  instruction  is  both  in  French  and  English. 

His    Lordship,    the    present    Bishop,    has    watched    and    guided    its    progress    with    a 
>termg  care    from   the  beginning,    and   it   must   be  a   satisfaction   to   him   that   six  of  the 
dents  after  having  passed  through  the  course  of  Philosophy  and  theology  in  the  great 
seminaries  of  Montreal   and  Ottawa  have   been   crowned   with   the  priesthood. 

The    spirit    of    piety    and    study    prevails.       The    students    have    learned    the    lesson 
given  to  them  by  Bishop  Grandin  on  his  death  bed,  when  some  of  the  older  boys  went 
to  him  to  beg  his  last  blessing.      "My  children,"   the  dying  prelate  said,    blessing  them 
when  one  loves  the  good  God  well,   one  has  no   fear  of  death.      To  have  served  God 
in  lite  is  the  only  thing  worth  having  that  remains  for  a  man  at  the  end." 

In  time,  no  doubt,  a  larger  building  will  be  necessary  and  the  college  song  will  be 
echoed    again: 

"O,   Seminaire!      Up   on    the   Hill! 

Seminaire!   O,  Seminaire! 
May   God's   sweet   will    there   keep   thee   still! 

Seminaire!   O,   Seminaire! 
And    should    the    future    bring    us    fame. 
When    high    rings    the   Seminary's    name, 
Be,    Alma    Mater,    still    the    same! 

Seminaire!   O,  Seminaire! 

Leaving  the  Seminary  and  the  cheery  sound  of  merry  laughter  from  the  boys  en 
gaged  in  constructing  a  skating  rink  against  the  coming  winter,  I  pass  over  on  my  left 
into  sanctified  ground.  The  plain,  white,  wooden  crosses,  with  their  painted  names  and 
dates  tell  their  own  simple  tale.  "Tis  God's  acre,  where  the  rude  forefathers  of  the 
hamlet  sleep. 

As  I  wander  I  come  across  a  portion  reserved  to  the  Congregation  of  the  Oblates 

find   among  those  who  have    fought  the  good   fight  in   these  wilds     the   last 

g  place  of  Fr.   Remas  and   Fr.   Vegreville— two  of  the  earliest  of  the  brave  mis- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA  137 


sionary  band  that  answered  the  call  to  the  West.  Schoolmates!  Friends!  Fellow 
Religious!  Working  side  by  aide  in  life — in  death  they  are  not  parted.  "Requiescant 
in  Pace." 

Farther  on,  nearer  the  Episcopal  Palace,  I  pass  its  neatly  kept  garden.  Certainly 
Brother  Letourneur,  who  tends  it  must  be  a  wonderful  man,  or  the  Alberta  soil  is  mar 
vellously  productive,  for  there  I  saw  vegetables  which  would  grace  a  prize  show  in  the 
old  country.  This  good  brother  has  raised  cabbages,  each  weighing  thirty-seven  pounds; 
turnips,  twenty-eight  pounds;  onions,  one  pound;  carrots,  two  pounds  and  pumpkins, 
50  to  80  pounds,  while  one  was  raised  in  this  garden  weighing  1  1  2  pounds. 

I  stand,  at  last,  before  the  stairway  leading  to  the  veranda  of  the  Bishop's  house, 
with  deepest  reverence  and  respect.  It  is  the  successor  of  those  earlier  Bishop's  palaces, 
and  till  but  lately  the  Mother  house  of  the  Oblate  Fathers  living  in  the  diocese,  which 
has  sheltered,  at  one  time  or  another,  so  many  of  those  heroic,  God-fearing  men,  who, 
though  working  for  Christ  alone,  without  thought  or  recompense  or  honor  below,  have 
left  their  names  upon  the  maps  of  the  newly  opened  North-west,  along  the  great  roads 
marking  the  progress  of  discovery  and  civilization. 

In  proof  of  this,  may  be  mentioned  those  who  have  given  their  names  to  the  dis 
tricts  of  Tache,  Grandin,  Legal,  Lacombe,  Leduc,  Lebret,  Vegreville,  St.  Albert 
(after  Fr.  Lacombe),  etc. 

There  are  many  others  from  under  this  roof  whose  names  are  household  words, 
among  the  old  timers:  Fathers  Remas  (one  of  the  earliest  workers  at  L=>ke  St.  Anne 
and  Lake  La  Biche),  Lestanc,  (so  long  Bishop  Grandin's  holy  and  prudent  counsel 
lor),  Tissot,  Maisonneuve,  Tissier,  L.  LeGoff,  Legeard,  J.  Moulin,  Blanche!,  Merer, 
Lizee,  (who  has  published  a  newspaper  in  Cree,  probably  the  first  of  its  kind),  besides 
their  Lordships  Bishop  Grouard,  Bishop  Pascal,  Bishop  Faraud,  Bishop  Glut,  Bishop 
Breynat  and  Bishop  Joussard. 

In  this  present  house  it  was  that  Bishop  Grand:n,  of  holy  memory,  breathed  his 
last,  surrounded  by  so  many  of  his  fellow  workers.  We  have  still  his  successor,  Arch 
bishop  Legal,  to  carry  on  his  traditions;  Fr.  Merer,  the  beloved  parish  priest  and  supenoj 
of  the  Oblates  of  St.  Albert;  Brother  Landais,  who  nursed  His  Lordship  in  the  last 
illness. 

Under  this  roof  we  still  have  Father  Leduc,  the  same  alert,  shrewd,  vigorous 
organizer  as  ever,  still  planning  with  bold,  masterly  conception,  yet,  with  all,  a  fine 
grasp  of  details,  and  managing  as  he  has  done  for  forty  years  the  financial  affairs  of 
the  diocese  as  its  honored  Vicar  General.  To  his  skilful  administration  the  mission 
and  town  of  St.  Albert  stand  today  a  lasting  memorial,  and  who  shall  say  how  much 
Edmonton  and  so  many  more  of  the  various  missions  of  the  diocese  are  indebted  to 
his  zeal  and  enterprise. 

In  1859  Bishop  Grandin  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Satala  in  the  Cathedral 
church  of  St.  Martin,  the  temporary  Cathedral  of  Marseilles,  by  its  Bishop,  the  saintly 
Mgr.  Mazenod,  the  founder  of  the  Oblate  Fathers.  Before  leaving  France,  Bishop 
Grandin  paid  a  visit  to  the  Petit  Seminaire  of  Mayence.  The  Venerable  director, 
the  Rev.  Abbe  Pillion,  presented  to  him  in  recreation  time  the  elder^  pupils,  who  were 
then  students  of  philosophy.  "Monseigneur,"  said  he^  charmingly,  "whom  would  you 
choose  of  these  to  work  with  you  on  your  missions?"  The  Bishop  gazed  upon  the 
faces  upturned  to  him,  "I  take  these  two,"  he  replied,  drawing  them  to  his  side.  This 
was  for  these  the  call  of  Our  Lord.  "Come,  follow  me!" 

Some  years  later,  both  of  them  became  Apostles  of  the  North-west  under  Bishop 
Grandin.  The  one  was  Father  Legeard  and  the  other,  Father  Leduc. 

Truly  a  wise  choice,  for  which  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert,  now  the  archdiocese  of 
Edmonton,  is  a  debtor. 

The  other  Vicar  General,  Father  Lacombe,  the  Apostle  of  the  Crees,  the  Black- 
feet  and  the  Half-breeds,  whose  name  is  sung  under  the  tents  of  the  prairie,  may  well 
close  this  list  of  these  noble  men  who  claim  this  Bishop's  Palace  as  their  Mother  house. 


38  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


Here  it  was  that  the  founder  of  St.  Albert,  who  gave  it  his  name,  celebrated  the  golden 
jubilee  of  his  priesthood  in  1899,  amidst  unusual  splendor,  accompanied  by  congratula 
tions  from  many  public  bodies  and  hightened  by  the  graceful  recognition  of  his  services 
by  Queen  Victoria,  who  sent  him  an  engraving  of  herself  to  mark  her  esteem  and 
personal  interest  in  Fr.  Lacombe  and  his  work. 

A  brave,  intrepid,  pioneering  missionary,  a  warrior,  and  a  wanderer  by  instinct, 
restless  unless  working  among  his  dear  Indians!  He  is  old  now,  and  feeble,  no  more 
able  to  use  the  passes  that  the  great  railway  companies  of  Canada  have  conceded  him 
for  the  free  use  of  their  lines.  This  was  in  recognition  of  his  services  to  the  cause  of 
civilization.  Who  shall  say  the  number  of  massacres  prevented  by  his  influence  over 
the  Redskins  of  the  north  in  their  rebellion  of  1885,  under  Riel  and  Dumont,  against 
the  tide  of  the  White  domination  invading  their  hitherto  unbounded  domains?  Who 
shall  say  that  the  massacre  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  workmen  on  the  Black  feet  Reserve, 
near  Calgary,  had  not  been  inevitable  except  for  Father  Albert  Lacombe! 

Therefore,  I  stood  with  reverence  before  entering  the  portal  of  this  Bishop's  house. 
Within  we  find  a  Religious  Community,  clothed,  fed  and  lodged  simply  as  befits  priests 
and  refined  men,  who  have  embraced  poverty  as  their  mother,  who  enjoy  some  of  the 
humbler  comforts  of  modern  civilization,  but  none  of  the  luxuries.  ^  el  what  a  contrast 
to  the  hardships  rendered  necessary  by  circumstances  in  those  early  days  which  so  many 
of  Bishop  Grandin's  companions  still  living,  cheerfully  endured!  Skins  for  their  cloth 
ing!  Moccasins  for  their  feet!  I  he  snow  shoe  and  the  dog  sleigh  and  hunger,  for 
hundreds  of  miles  on  a  sick  call,  or  the  frail  and  dangerous  birch  bark  canoe!  bor 
their  food,  often  nothing  but  fish,  which  they  had  to  catch  on  the  lake  like  the  Apostles 
on  Genesareth.  1  he  fish,  when  plentiful,  they  dried  to  serve  for  the  long  winter's  sus 
tenance,  and  then  fish,  fresh  fish,  dried  fish,  somelirr.es  rotten  fish,  day  after  day,  with 
nothing  else  to  relieve  their  monotony — "ad  nauseam!" 

Poor  Father  Grolier,  a  martyr  of  the  apostolate,  dying  in  the  depth  of  winter  at 
Good  Hope,  for  want  of  a  change  of  this  fish  diet,  was  forced  to  exclaim,  "Oh!  if 
I  only  had  a  little  milk  and  a  few  potatoes,  I  cculd  perhaps  pull  round  again." 

1  hese  are  not  fairy  tales.  Bishop  Grandm  wrote  in  1890  of  these  early  strug 
gles.  "  I  hese  sacrifices  are  hard  to  believe  today,  but  in  twenty  years  they  will  appear 
to  have  been  quite  impossible. 

1  he  old  Bishop's  Palace  at  St.  Albert  was  a  log  hut  60  x  30  feet,  of  one  room, 
which  served  many  purposes.  It  was  kitchen,  reception  room,  class  room,  for  the  in 
struction  of  the  Indians,  study,  workshop,  a  dormitory  by  night  where  the  inmates  slept 
on  shelves,  arranged  like  a  library  or  bunks  at  sea,  and  finally  a  sanctuary  for  Mass 
next  morning.  Yet  the  missionaries  preserved  their  cheerfulness  and  sense  of  humor. 
One  of  them  wrote  to  his  family  as  follows:  "We  are  eight  in  one  room.  We  sleep, 
one  above  the  other,  with  a  beast's  skin  for  our  covering.  Mattresses  and  bed  clothing 
are  an  unknown  luxury.  We  only  have  bread  on  feast  days,  and  then  in  small  quanti 
ties.  But  then,  by  way  of  reprisal,  we  have  pemmican,  a  kind  of  pulverized  meat  mixed 
with  fat  and  compressed  in  skin  sacks  for  ten  or  twelve  months.  We  cut  it  into  pieces 
with  an  axe.  It  is  nearly  as  good  as  a  candle!  We  have  also  another  meat,  dried  in 
the  sun.  It  is  as  hard  as  leather,  but  with  good  teeth  you  can  manage  to  tear  your 
way  through  it  in  the  end.  Our  drink  is  tea,  without  sugar.  But  with  unrefined  diet 
we  manage  to  keep  our  good  looks.  As  for  myself,  I  am  so  inclined  towards  'em 
bonpoint'  that  they  call  me  the  'Canon.' 

Indeed,  it  was  not  till  May  28th,  1892,  when  a  great  gathering  of  Canadian 
Bishops  with  their  Vicars  General  and  various  laymen  of  distinction  came  to  visit  the 
present  Bishop's  Palace,  that  the  luxury  of  sugar  and  bed  clothes  made  their  first  ap 


pearance 


imes  are  changed,  but  simplicity  still   reigns.      The  old  log  hut  has  disappeared. 
A   more    dignified    dwelling    shelters    the    ruler    of    the    Diocese,    Deo    gratias! 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA  139 


As  I  leave  the  Bishop's  house,  now  the  Archbishop's  residence,  I  pass  the  "Son- 
nerie"  or  Bell  Tower,  with  its  chime  of  bells.  It  is  an  epitome  of  the  life  in  the  val 
ley  below.  To  this  village  of  French  Canadian  Catholics  it  rings  out,  thrice  a  day. 
the  mystery  of  Christ's  Incarnation.  It  calls  to  worship,  to  Mass  and  evening  prayer. 
It  rings  out  clamorously  at  the  alarm  of  fire,  and  joyously  at  the  return  of  the  Bishop 
to  his  See.  It  heralds  a  christening  and  a  wedding  and  it  tolls  the  funeral  knell  for 
the  departed  soul. 

And  now  the  evening  is  closing.  A  solemn  stillness  broods  over  the  valley,  broken 
only  by  the  tinkling  of  the  bells  of  the  cattle  still  wandering  on  the  hill  slopes.  Lights 
are  appearing  in  the  windows.  I  cannot  but  picture  myself  this  "Summer  of  All  Saints" 
as  at  Grand  Pre,  in  that  valley,  distant,  secluded,  immortalized  by  Longfellow's  "Evan- 
geline" : — 

— dwelt    together    in    love    those    simple    Acadian    farmers, 
Dwelt  in  the  love  of  God  and  Man.      Alike  were  they   free   from 
Fear,  that  reigns  with  the  tyrants,  and  envy,  the  vice  of  republics. 
Neither  locks  had  they  to  their  doors,  nor  bars  to  their  windows; 
But  their  dwellings  were  open  as  day,   and  the  hearts  of  their  owners: 
There   the   richest  were  poor,   and   the   poorest  lived   in   abundance." 

Such  a  village  I  have  seen  not  once  or  twice  in  this  Diocese  of  Alberta,  raised 
and  tended  by  the  good  Oblates  who  founded  St.  Albert.  No  wonder  that  in  the  re 
bellion  of  the  natives  and  Half-breeds  in  1885,  this  spot  preserved  its  calm  and^peace 
amid  the  general  ferment  and  that  Louis  Riel  should  have  been  forced  to  write:  "I  can 
not  count  upon  the  people  of  St.  Albert." 

All  honor  to  those  brave  sister-hoods  who  have  joined  these  good  Fathers  in  the 
work  of  founding  and  developing  such  missions;  the  Gray  Nuns  of  Charity  of  Montreal, 
and  of  Nicolet,  the  Faithful  Companions  of  Jesus,  the  Sisters  of  the  Assumption  of 
Nicolet,  the  Sisters  of  Charity  of  Providence,  those  of  Misericordia,  the  Daughters  of 
Jesus,  the  Servants  of  Mary  (of  the  Greek  Ruthenian  rite)  and  the  Daughters  of 
Providence,  the  Ursulines  de  Jesus,  the  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame  d'Envron,  the  Ladies  of 
the  Refuge. 

As  I  leave  this  scene  I  have  before  my  mind  a  clause  of  Bishop  Grandin's  last 
will  and  testament: 

"Later  on,  doubtless,  other  Congregations  will  ask  my  successor  the  favor  of  es 
tablishing  themselves  in  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert.  This  vision  of  the  future  gives  me 
joy,  but  were  I  still  at  the  head  of  my  diocese,  I  should  regard  myself  as  bound  in 
conscience  to  gratitude  towards  those  religious  Congregations,  who  have,  at  the  price 
of  so  much  sacrifice,  aided  in  forming  this  diocese,  in  introducing,  building  up  and  extend- 
ng  the  kingdom  of  God  in  all  the  North-west. 

"I  recognize  that  I  have  my  faults,  but  I  believe  I  can  affirm  that  I  am  not  un 
grateful.  Ingratitude  is,  however,  the  only  recompense  that  the  missionaries  and  the 
Congregations  can  hope  for  here  below.  It  is  all  we  can  look  for  from  our  poor 
Indians,  but  too  often  it  comes  from  Christians  from  whom  we  should  have  the  right 
to  expect  better. 

"But  I  cannot  suppose  that  the  diocese  of  St.  Albert  will  ever  turn  against  those 
who  have  founded  it,  at  the  price  of  so  many  sacrifices.  I  pray  God  to  ward  off  from 
this  church  the  humiliation  which  other  churches  of  great  renown  and  importance  have 
not  escaped. 

"The  Oblates,  as  far  as  I  know,  have  not  as  yet  been  the  victims  of  ingratitude  in 
Canada.  God  will  not  permit  them  to  be  such  in  the  rest  of  the  Northwest.' 

To  which  we  may   add:    "Amen"   and  conclude. 

THE   END. 


140 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


SKETCHES 


OF  SOME  OF  ALBERTA'S  PROMINENT  MEN. 


HON.  ARTHUR  LEWIS  SIFTON 

Premier    of    Alberta,    Edmonton. 


From  the  time  of  the  creation  of  the 
Province  of  Alberta  down  to  the  present, 
there  have  been  none  to  fill  the  position  of 
Premier  in  a  more  acceptable  manner  than 
the  present  incumbent,  the  HOP.  Arthur 
Lewis  Si f ton,  who  formed  the  existing  gov 
ernment  of  the  Province  in  May,  I V 1 0. 
The  office  is  one  involving  great  responsibil 
ity,  but  as  Mr.  Sifton  brought  to  it  an  ex 
perience  of  many  years  in  active,  public  life 
he  is  well  equipped  to  serve  the  people  in  a 
manner  productive  of  the  greatest  good  to 
the  greatest  number.  Under  his  able  regime 
the  Province  of  Alberta  has  experienced  an 


era  of  unwonted  prosperity,  and  every  indi 
cation  points  to  a  long  continuance  of  this 
condition  of  affairs. 

Mr.  Sifton  was  born  at  Middlesex,  On 
tario,  on  October  26,  1858,  and  as  a  boy 
he  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
later  at  Wesley  College  and  at  Victoria 
University.  Having  chosen  the  law  for  a 
profession,  Mr.  Sifton  was  called  to  the  bar 
of  Manitoba  in  1883,  and  after  six  years  of 
practice  came  West  to  Alberta. 

Mr.  Sifton's  ability  was  speedily  recog 
nized  in  this  western  field,  and  his  first  pub 
lic  position  of  importance  came  in  1898 
when  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  North 
west  Council.  In  1901  he  was  appointed 
Commissioner  of  Public  Works  for  the 
North  West  Territories,  and  in  1903  there 
came  a  still  greater  honor  when  he  was 
made  Chief  Justice  of  the  North  West  Ter 
ritories,  and  again  in  1907  when  he  was 
made  Chief  Justice  of  Alberta.  In  1910 
he  retired  from  the  bench  to  become  premier. 

1  hrough  all  of  these  years  there  are  few 
men  in  the  entire  Dominion  who  have  had 
a  more  interesting  or  successful  career  than 
Premier  Sifton,  and  the  commendable  rec 
ord  he  has  made  in  official  life  is  one  of 
which  any  individual  might  well  feel  proud. 

Premier  Sifton  is  a  member  of  the  Ranch 
man's  club  at  Calgary  and  the  Edmonton 
club  as  well,  and  resides  in  Edmonton  with 
his  family  at  Garry-Kennagh. 


HON.      ALEXANDER     CAMERON 
RUTHERFORD. 

At  the  head  of  the  list  of  the  distinguished 
barristers  and  statesmen  who  have  figured  so 
prominently  in  shaping  the  destinies  of  the 
province  of  Alberta,  and  in  creating  a  new 
empire  from  the  virgin  territory  of  the  Can 
adian  West,  stands  the  name  of  Alexander 
Cameron  Rutherford,  B.A.,  B.C.L.,  LL.D., 
K.C.,  a  name  which  will  go  down  into  his- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


141 


tory  as  that  of  the  First  Premier  of  the  Pro 
vince  of  Alberta. 


Hon.    Alexander  Cameron  Rutherford 

Mr.  Rutherford  was  born  at  Osgoode, 
Carleton  county,  Ontario,  on  February  2, 
1857,  the  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
Rutherford.  He  received  his  education  in 
the  public  schools  and  at  the  High  school  at 
Metcalfe,  Ontario,  and  later  graduated  with 
honors  from  Woodstock  College  and  from 
McGill  University.  He  was  called  to  the 
bar  of  Ontario  in  1885, and  began  the  prac 
tice  of  the  law  at  Ottawa.  In  1895  Mr. 
Rutherford  came  west  to  what  is  now  Al 
berta  and  settled  at  Strathcona,  now  known 
as  South  Edmonton.  He  was  not  long  in 
gaining  recognition  as  a  barrister  of  far  more 
than  average  ability  and  not  long  after  his 
arrival  was  made  secretary-treasurer  and 
solicitor  for  Strathcona.  It  was  as  the  Lib 
eral  representative  for  this  constituency  that 
he  came  into  prominence  by  being  elected  to 
a  seat  in  the  Alberta  Legislative  Assembly, 


and  immediately  thereafter  his  selection  by 
Lieutenant  Governor  Bulyea  to  be  the  first 
premier  of  the  newly  created  province  of 
Alberta.  Prior  to  this  Mr.  Rutherford  had 
been  a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  the 
North-West  Territories,  and  was  Deputy 
Speaker  at  the  last  session  of  this  body. 

During  his  regime  as  premier,  Mr.  Ruther 
ford  also  served  as  Minister  of  Education 
and  as  Provincial  Treasurer  as  well.  In 
1 909  he  was  re-elected  again,  but  the  fol 
lowing  year  because  of  a  division  m  the 
ranks  of  the  Liberal  party  in  the  legislature 
he  resigned  the  premiership. 

While  Alexander  Cameron  Rutherford 
no  longer  occupies  an  official  provincial  po 
sition  he  is  still  regarded  as  the  Grand  Old 
Man  of  the  Liberal  party  in  Alberta  and  his 
words  of  advice  and  counsel  are  eagerly 
sought  by  those  who  are  active  in  politics  at 
the  present  time. 

It  was  under  his  administration  that  the 
foundation  was  laid  for  all  those  institutions 
similar  to  those  possessed  by  the  older  pro 
vinces,  and  long  after  he  has  been  called 
to  the  Great  Beyond  his  memory  will  be 
cherished  for  the  part  he  took  in  this  great 
work  of  organization.  It  was  largely 
through  his  influence  while  Premier  that  Ed 
monton  was  selected  as  the  capital  of  Al 
berta,  and  during  his  regime,  also,  the  Par 
liament  buildings  were  started.  He  also 
was  a  loyal  worker  in  the  establishment  of 
the  Normal  College  and  the  University  of 
Alberta.  He  likewise  did  everything  in  his 
power  to  foster  the  building  of  railroads  and 
in  encouraging  the  development  of  the  agri 
cultural,  mining  and  other  natural  resources 
of  the  country. 

In  private  life  Mr.  Rutherford  is  a  mem 
ber  of  the  legal  firm  of  Rutherford,  Jamie- 
son  &  Grant,  with  offices  on  the  South  Side 
in  the  Imperial  Bank  Chambers  and  on  the 
North  Side  at  56  McDougall  avenue.  This 
is  not  only  one  of  the  oldest,  but  one  of 
the  largest  law  firms  of  the  Province  in 
point  of  the  volume  of  business  handled. 
While  pursuing  a  general  law  practice,  the 
members  of  the  firm  devote  special  attention 
to  corporation  and  commercial  law  and  act 
as  solicitors  for  many  of  the  best  known 
concerns  and  individuals  of  Edmonton  and 
the  Province. 


142 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


HON.    CHARLES   W.    CROSS,    B.A., 
LL.B.,   M.L.A. 

Attorney  Genera!  of  the  P'-ovirr.p  <^(  AlKPrta. 


When  one  stops  to  consider  that  the  pro 
vince  of  Alberta  was  only  established  in 
1905,  and  takes  cognizance  of  the  remark 
able  advancement  that  has  been  made  during 
this  brief  period  of  nine  years,  then  does  one 
begin  to  realize  something  of  the  real  worth 
and  ability  of  the  men  who  have  shaped  the 
affairs  of  this  wonderful  country  and  who 
have  made  the  laws  for  the  government  of 
the  fairest  province  within  the  borders  of  the 
Dominion. 

Of  these  there  is  certainly  none  more 
worthy  of  mention  in  this  historical  sketch 
of  Alberta  than  the  Hon.  Charles  Wilson 
Cross,  who  holds  the  position  of  Attorney 
General  of  the  province,  and  who  has  been 
a  member  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  from 
the  very  formation  of  the  province. 

Mr.  Cross  was  first  chosen  as  the  Liberal 
member  for  Edmonton  in  1905,  and  that 
same  year  was  named  as  Attorney  General. 
He  was  re-elected  in  1909,  but  in  March, 


1910,  resigned  his  position  as  a  member  of 
the  Executive  Council.  In  1913  he  was 
again  returned  for  the  constituencies  of  Ed- 
son  and  Edmonton  and  again  was  he  called 
to  the  post  of  Attorney  General — a  position 
he  has  filled  so  acceptably  in  the  estimation 
of  the  general  public.  This  not  only  be 
speaks  the  confidence  reposed  in  Mr.  Cross 
by  the  people  of  Alberta,  but  it  also  re 
flects  something  of  his  splendid  ability  as  a 
barrister  and  solicitor,  and  of  the  early  train 
ing  and  experience  which  has  so  well  fitted 
him  for  public  life. 

In  private  life  Mr.  Cross  is  a  member  of 
the  legal  firms  of  Short,  Cross,  Biggar, 
Sherry  &  Field  and  Short,  Woods,  Biggar 
&  Collisson,  with  offices  at  14  Howard 
street.  1  he  individual  members  of  these 
firms  rank  as  the  leading  lawyers  of  this  sec 
tion  of  the  Canadian  West,  and  their  large 
general  practice  is  a  pretty  good  indication 
of  the  substantial  success  they  have  attained. 

Mr.  Cross  is  still  a  comparatively  young 
man  in  point  of  years,  having  been  born  at 
Madoc,  Ontario,  on  November  30,  1872. 
He  received  his  education  at  Upper  Canada 
College,  at  1  oronto  University  and  later  com 
pleted  his  preparation  for  the  practice  of  the 
law  at  Osgoode  Hall.  He  came  West  to 
Alberta  and  established  himself  in  Edmon 
ton,  where  his  career  has  been  marked  by 
a  series  of  brilliant  achievements. 

Mr.  Cross  has  long  been  looked  upon  as 
one  of  the  most  talented  Liberal  leaders  in 
the  West,  and  in  all  the  deliberations  of 
that  party  his  advice  and  counsel  are  eager 
ly  sought.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Edmon 
ton  club,  takes  an  active  interest  in  municipal 
as  well  as  provincial  affairs,  and  in  general 
is  a  striking  example  of  the  type  of  men  to 
whom  Alberta  is  indebted  for  her  present 
greatness. 


HON.    NICHOLAS   D.    BECK, 

A  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Alberta. 

Mr.  Justice  Beck  was  born  at  Cobourg, 
Ontario,  4th  May,  1857.  He  received  his 
education  at  private  and  public  schools  and 
the  Collegiate  Institute  Peterborough.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  Ontario  Bar  in  May, 
1879,  and  received  the  degree  of  LL.B. 
from  the  University  of  Toronto  in  1881. 
He  practised  his  profession  in  Peterborough 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


143 


as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Hatton  and 
Beck  till  1  883  when  he  went  to  Winnipeg, 
where  on  December  1 883  he  was  received 
into  the  Catholic  Church.  He  practised 
there  for  some  years  at  one  time  being  in 
partnership  with  J.  E.  P.  Prendergast,  now 
Mr.  Justice  Prendergast  of  Manitoba  and  at 
another  of  A.  E.  McPhillips,  now  Mr.  Jus 
tice  McPhillips,  a  Judge  of  the  Court  of 
Appeal  for  British  Columbia.  While  in 


Hon    Nicholas  D.  Beck 

Winnipeg  Mr.  Beck  for  some  time  edited 
The  Northwest  (Catholic)  Review;  and 
for  a  term  was  the  representative  ot 
St.  Boniface  College  in  the  Senate  of  the 
University  of  Manitoba.  In  1889  he  re 
moved  to  Calgary  and  practised  there  as  a 
member  of  the  fr>m  of  Lonsheed,  MrC^'W 
&  Beck.  In  1891  Mr.  Beck  removed  to  Ed 
monton.  He  was  made  a  Queen  s  Counsel 
in  1893;  was  Crown  Prosecutor  from  I  89 1 
to  1987  and  Town  and  City  Solicitor  from 
the  incorporation  of  Edmonton  in  1892  till 
his  appointment  to  the  Bench  in  1907.  He 


edited  the  earlier  volumes  of  the  North-West 
Territories  and  the  Alberta  Law  Reports. 
He  was  a  Bencher  of  the  Law  Society  of 
the  Territory  and  of  Alberta  and  for  a  term 
preceding  his  appointment  to  the  Bench  the 
President  of  the  latter  society.  In  1905  he 
was  engaged  to  advise  the  Dominion  Gov 
ernment  on  the  Autonomy  Bills  for  Alberta 
and  Saskatchewan,  especially  the  education 
al  clauses.  He  was  one  of  the  Catholic 
representatives  on  the  Educational  Council 
for  the  Territories  and  for  Alberta  and  has 
always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  educational 
matter.  He  was  elected  by  the  Senate  of 
the  University  of  Alberta  as  their  first  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  thereby  became  an  ex-officio 
member  of  the  Senate  and  is  Vice-Chancellor 
by  subsequent  election.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  C.  M.  B.  A.  and  of  the  Knights  of 
Columbus  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Governors  of  the  Catholic  Church  Extension 
of  Canada.  He  is  a  corresponding  mem 
ber  of  the  Archeological  Society  of  France. 
Address:  443  16th  street.  Club:  The  Ed- 
mcnton  Club. 


HON.    WILFRED    GARIEPY.    B.A., 
K.C. 

Minister    of    Municipal    Affairs   of    the    Pro 
vince   of  Alberta. 

Conspicuous  among  the  talented  men  of 
affairs  who  have  attained  distinction  in  public 
as  well  as  private  life  in  Alberta  and  who 
have  been  intimately  identified  with  much 
of  the  great  development  work  that  has  tak 
en  place  in  recent  years  is  the  Hon.  Wilfred 
Gariepy,  who  was  last  year  appointed  Minis 
ter  of  Municipal  Affairs  of  the  provincial 
government,  and  who,  as  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  is  the  Liberal  representative  for 
Beaver  River.  He  is  the  first  Catholic  to 
hold  a  port  folio  west  of  Winnipeg.  In 
private  life  Mr.  Gariepy  is  the  senior  partner 
of  the  legal  firm  of  Gariepy,  Madore  &  Dun- 
lop,  with  offices  in  the  Gariepy  Block,  corner 
of  Jasper  avenue  and  Howard  street. 

Mr.  Gariepy  was  born  in  Montreal,  Que 
bec,  on  March  14,  1877,  and  is  the  son  of 
Mr.  Joseph  Gariepy,  who  has  been  so  pro 
minently  identified  with  Edmonton's  history 
since  1892,  and  who  ranks  as  one  of  the 
wealthiest  and  most  influential  citizens  of  the 
province  of  Alberta.  He  received  his  educa- 


144 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


tion  at  St.  Laurent  College,  at  Laval  Uni 
versity  and  McGill  University,  receiving  his 
degrees  in  the  Arts  and  Law  Departments. 
Coming  to  Alberta  in  1893  it  was  then 
that  he  began  active  practice  in  his  profes 
sion  as  a  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Taylor, 
Boyle  &  Ganepy,  with  which  he  continued 
until  1907  when  he  was  associated  with  Mr. 
Hector  L.  Landry  for  a  time,  and  finally  in 
1914  established  the  present  partnership. 


Hon.  Wilfred  Gariepy 

Mr.  Gariepy  first  served  in  an  official 
capacity  as  alderman  of  the  city  of  Edmon 
ton  from  1907  to  1910.  In  1909  he  was 
the  unsuccessful  Liberal  candidate  for  St. 
Albert  for  the  provincial  legislature,  but  in 
1913  he  was  more  successful,  and  the  active 
part  he  has  taken  in  the  law  making  branch 
of  the  provincial  government  is  a  sufficient 
indication  that  the  people  of  the  Beaver 
River  constituency  made  no  mistake  in  their 
selection  of  an  efficient  representative. 

Mr.  Gariepy  is  a  director  of  the  Edmon 
ton  Children's  Aid  Society;  a  member  of  the 


Edmonton  club;  of  St.  Jean  Baptiste  Society; 
the  Knights  of  Columbus,  and  aside  from 
his  prominence  in  professional  and  social 
circles  is  ever  to  be  found  in  the  forefront  of 
those  who  are  ever  doing  their  utmost  to  ad 
vance  the  cause  of  city  and  province  and 
spread  abroad  in  the  land  a  knowledge  of  the 
untold  advantages  of  this  Last  Great  West. 
The  firm  of  Gariepy,  Madore  &  Dunlop 
ranks  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  West,  be 
ing  solicitors  for  such  concerns  as  the  Franco- 
Canadian  Mortgage  Company,  the  Jasper 
Mines,  Limited;  the  Empire  Loan  Company; 
the  London  &  Lancashire  Life  &  General 
Insurance  Company  (loan  department),  Ed 
monton  college,  and  a  large  number  of  other 
firms  and  individuals,  including  a  syndicate 
of  French  bankers  who  have  made  many 
important  investments  in  Edmonton  and 
vicinity. 


HENRY   W.    McKENNEY,    M.L.A. 

436    Eighth    Street,    West,    Edmonton. 


To  the  old  time  pioneers  who  braved  the 
dangers,  the  perils  and  privations  in  the  early 
days  of  the  Northwest,  we  residents  of  Al 
berta  of  today  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  that 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


145 


can  never  be  fully  repaid.  In  this  historical 
reference  to  the  development  of  the  Pro 
vince,  it  is  eminently  fitting  that  more  than 
casual  mention  should  be  made  of  Mr.  Henry 
W.  McKenney,  a  retired  merchant  of  Ed 
monton,  and  who  represents  the  constituency 
of  Clearwater  in  the  Alberta  Legislative  As 
sembly. 

Mr.  McKenney  was  born  at  Amherst- 
burg,  Ontario,  on  February  24,  1 848,  the 
son  of  Augustus  and  Matilda  McKenney. 
He  was  educated  in  the  Roman  Catholic 
separate  schools  and  the  public  schools  of 
Amherstburg  as  well  as  at  the  hands  of  a 
private  tutor,  and  in  1  866  he  struck  out  for 
the  Northwest  when  this  entire  region  was 
little  more  than  a  vast  wilderness,  and  when 
Indians  and  the  American  bison  were  the 
principal  denizens  of  forest  and  plain,  and 
when  it  was  a  comparatively  rare  occurrence 
to  encounter  a  white  man.  Mr.  McKenney 
first  passed  through  Edmonton  in  1875, 
when  this  thriving  city  was  little  more  than 
a  struggling  settlement  on  the  banks  of  the 
Saskatchewan,  on  an  expedition  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  Some  years  later — in  1883, 
to  be  more  exact,  Mr.  McKenny  returned  to 
this  neighborhood  to  take  up  his  home  and 
for  a  considerable  number  of  years  was  a 
resident  of  St.  Albert.  Here  he  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  and  was  also  post 
master  for  a  term  of  years.  He  also  filled 
the  offices  of  Police  Magistrate  and  Chair 
man  of  the  School  Board  for  some  years. 
Later  he  was  also  appointed  License  Com 
missioner  and  was  secretary-treasurer  of  the 
first  Agricultural  Society  formed  in  the  dis 
trict. 

Mr.  McKenney  has  been  identified  with 
the  Liberal  party  for  years,  and  it  was  a 
well  deserved  recognition  of  his  valuable 
services  rendered  in  its  behalf  when  he  was 
first  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1905  as 
the  member  for  St.  Albert.  At  the  fol 
lowing  general  election  he  was  again  returned 
for  Pembina. 

He  is  an  honored  member  of  the  Catholic 
Mutual  Benevolent  Association,  and  was 
president  of  the  organization  in  Edmonton  in 
1905.  He  is  likewise  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus  and  in  all  Catholic  cir 
cles  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  representative 
men  of  the  times. 


JEAN  LEON  COTE,  C.E.,  M.E.,  D.L. 
S.,  M.L.A. 

42    Jasper    Avenue,    West. 


The  land  surveyor  and  the  civil  engineer 
may  well  be  termed  the  real  pioneers  of 
every  new  country,  and  close  upon  their  heels 
comes  the  vanguard  of  civilization.  These 
are  the  men  who  have  established  boundary 
lines;  whose  maps  and  surveys  give  to  the 
world  a  knowledge  of  mountain  ranges,  of 
river  courses  and  the  general  contour  of  a 
country,  not  to  mention  the  mapping  out  of 
highways  and  the  building  of  railroads.  And 
furthermore,  these  are  the  men  whose  names 
should  be  indissolubly  linked  with  the  his 
tory  of  every  country. 

One  who  has  figured  prominently  in  much 
of  this  work  in  the  West  and  Northwest  of 
Canada  is  Mr.  Jean  Leon  Cote,  senior  mem 
ber  of  Cote  &  Smith,  Land  Surveyors  and 
Engineers,  with  offices  at  42  Jasper  avenue, 
West. 


146 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Mr.  Cote  was  born  at  Les  Eboulements, 
Quebec,  on  May  6,  1887,  the  son  of  Cleo- 
phas  and  Denise  Cote,  and  received  his  early 
education  in  the  Commercial  Academy  at 
Montmagny,  Quebec,  afterwards  graduating 
with  the  degrees  of  civil  and  mechanical  en 
gineer  from  Ottawa  College. 

Mr.  Cote  began  life  as  an  engineer  and 
surveyor  with  the  Department  of  the  In 
terior  at  Ottawa  in  1893,  and  continued 
these  relations  in  the  employ  of  the  Govern 
ment  until  1900.  The  summers  of  1893, 
1894  and  1895  he  spent  as  a  member  of  the 
staff  on  the  Alaska  Boundary  Survey.  Mr. 
Cote  also  did  Government  survey  work  in 
the  four  Western  Provinces  of  the  Dominion, 
and  is  undoubted!  v  one  of  the  best  posted 
engineers  thai  the  West  today  possesses. 

From  1900  to  1903  he  was  engaged  in 
legal  surveying  at  Dawson,  Y.T.,  and  in  the 
latter  year  became  a  permanent  resident  of 
Edmonton,  although  his  first  visit  to  this 
community  was  paid  in  1  886. 

Mr  Cote  first  came  into  prominence  in 
political  life  in  1909,  when  he  was  elected 
as  the  Liberal  member  for  the  constituency  of 
Athabasca  to  a  seal  in  the  Alberta  Legis 
lative  Assembly.  In  this  capacity  he  has 
proven  a  most  valuable  member  because  of 
his  familiarity  with  conditions  throughout  the 
Province,  and  his  advice  has  been  heartily 
welcomed  on  numerous  occasions. 


ALBERT  FREEMAN  EWING.   B.\, 
K.C.,  M.L.A. 

Agency   Block. 

Throughout  all  of  the  Canadian  West 
there  are  few  communilies,  indeed,  which 
offer  such  splendid  advantages  for  attaining 
success  in  the  general  practice  of  the  law  as 
Edmonton,  and  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  state 
that  the  membership  of  the  local  Bar  in 
cludes  many  capable  men  who  have  not  only 
attained  eminence  in  their  profession,  but 
who  have  rendered  very  material  assistance 
in  the  general  development  of  the  city  and 
province. 

Included  in  this  list  is  Mr.  Albert  Free 
man  Ewing,  B.A.,  K.C.,  M.L.A.,  who  is 
the  senior  member  of  the  legal  firm  of  Ewing 
&  Harvie,  with  offices  in  the  Northern 
Agency  Block.  Inasmuch  as  Mr.  Ewing  had 
for  years  demonstrated  his  ability  as  an  in 


terpreter  of  the  laws,  it  was  quite  fitting  that 
he  be  chosen  to  assist  in  the  making  of  the 
provincial  laws,  and  so  last  year  he  was 
elected  as  the  Conservative  member  for  Ed 
monton,  winning  out  by  a  handsome  major 
ity  in  the  face  of  great  odds.  This  speaks 
volumes  for  the  personal  popularity  of  Mr. 
Ewing  and  for  the  splendid  support  he  re 
ceived  from  a  host  of  friends  throughout  this 
district.  In  1909  he  had  made  the  race 
unsuccessfully,  but  this  defeat  did  not  dis 
may  him  in  the  least,  but  only  led  to  a  more 
determined  effort  in  1913. 


Albert  Freeman    Ewing,   M.L.A. 

Mr.  Ewmg  comes  originally  from  Elora, 
Ontario,  where  he  was  educated  in  the  pub 
lic  and  High  schools,  and  later  graduated 
from  the  University  of  Toronto  with  the  de 
gree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  When  he  first 
started  out  in  life  it  was  as  a  school  teacher, 
but  after  one  year  of  this  work  he  took  up  the 
study  of  law  at  Calgary  in  the  office  of 
Premier  Sifton.  In  1902  Mr.  Ewing  was 
called  to  the  bar  of  the  Northwest  Territories, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


47 


and  here  in  Edmonton  he  has  since  been  ac 
tively  devoting  his  attention  to  the  law  in  all 
its  branches,  forming  the  partnership  with 
Mr.  Harvie  in  1909. 

As  a  member  of  the  Legislative  Assembly 
Mr.  Ewing  has  displayed  the  same  inherent 
ability  as  has  characterized  his  work  as  a 
lawyer,  and  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
the  Conservatives  are  in  the  minority  in  the 
present  government  he  has  proven  a  most 
valuable  member  of  the  provincial  parlia 
ment — a  staunch  supporter  of  every  move 
ment  and  every  measure  tending  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  the  people  and  to  advance  the 
development  of  this  young  and  growing  pro 
vince. 

Mr.  Ewmg  is  an  honored  member  of  the 
Edmonton  and  Country  clubs,  and  in  all 
social  circles  is  greatly  esteemed  for  his  many 
excellent  qualifications  as  a  man  and  as  a 
citizen. 


JOSEPH  H.  PICARD. 

248  Jasper  Avenue,  Edmonton. 


A  pioneer  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the  word, 
and  one  who  has  witnessed  some  wonderful 
transformations  in  this  Northwestern  country, 
is  Mr.  Joseph  H.  Picard,  retired  merchant 
and  capitalist,  of  248  Jasper  avenue,  Ed 
monton,  who  came  to  this  country  a  little 
more  than  thirty  years  ago. 

While  thirty  years  is  not  in  itself  such  a 
wonderfully  long  period  of  time,  it  has  been 
sufficient  to  work  wonders  in  Alberta.  Towns 
and  cities  have  sprung  up  as  if  by  magic. 
Railroad  lines  now  traverse  the  province  in 
all  directions,  and  fields  of  grain  have  sup 
planted  the  native  prairie  grass.  Surely  it 
has  been  an  age  of  progress  for  this  garden 
spot  of  the  Dominion — this  famous  land  of 
"Sunshine  and  Flowers." 

Mr.  Picard  was  born  at  St.  Jean  de  Ma- 
tha,  Joliette  county,  Quebec,  on  February 
18,  1857,  the  son  of  Joseph  Picard  and 
Angele  Roy.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  Province,  and  began 
life  as  a  contractor  and  builder  in  1880. 
Four  years  later  Mr.  Picard  moved  to  Al 
berta  and  in  1887  took  up  his  home  in  Ed 
monton.  In  1 889  he  engaged  in  the  gen 
eral  merchandise  business  which  he  disposed 
of  in  1907,  and  since  that  time  has  devoted 
his  attention  mainly  to  looking  after  his  pri 
vate  investments. 

Mr.  Picard  is  a  director  of  the  Jasper 
Coal  Mine  Company,  The  Edmonton  Brew 
ing  and  Malting  Co.,  Ltd.;  Edmonton  Port 
land  Cement  Co.,  and  the  Arrow  Lake 
Lands  Company,  Limited.  He  is  also  vice- 
president  of  the  Franco  Mortgage  &  Loar< 
Company,  Limited  and  the  owner  of  con 
siderable  valuable  real  estate  in  Edmonton 
and  vicinity. 

In  public  life  Mr.  Picard  served  the  city 
as  Alderman  from  1893  to  1906  except  an 
interval  of  one  term  and  for  many  years  was 
a  member  of  the  school  board.  He  was  one 
of  the  active  advocates  of  municipal  owner 
ship  when  that  question  was  finally  approved 
by  the  people  in  1 899. 

Mr.  Picard  is  a  charter  member  of  the 
Edmonton  club;  a  member  of  the  C.M.B.A., 
and  secretary-treasurer  of  the  Alliance  Na- 
tionale.  His  political  affiliations  are  with 
the  Liberal  party,  while  all  of  his  life  he  has 
been  a  loyal  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church.  Such  men  as  Mr.  Picard  have  in 
deed  been  the  makers  of  history  in  Alberta, 


148 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


and  their  unswerving  confidence  in  the  great 
future  of  the  Province  has  led  to  the  ac 
complishment  of  many  great  undertakings. 


CORNELIUS    GALLAGHER. 

408  Eleventh  Street. 


In  the  preservation  of  the  Western  spirit 
and  its  traditions,  the  inculcating  of  the  les 
sons  of  those  who  came  before  and  the  im 
parting  of  the  many  examples  of  self-denial, 
tireless  energy  and  the  indomitable  determin 
ation  to  win  regardless  of  the  odds  against 
them  have  placed  the  stamp  of  individuality 
upon  the  West  and  given  to  the  nation  a 
people  as  hardy  as  they  are  progressive. 

In  the  East  one  encounters  an  individual 
ity  that  is  not  real,  and  when  one  leaves  the 
congested  centers  of  population  and  draws 
in  a  breath  of  the  pure,  sweet  air  of  the  Last 
Great  West  a  wonderful  transformation  takes 
place.  Journeying  westward  the  landscape 
changes  as  do  the  customs,  and  one  possesses 
a  -feeling  of  independence  quite  foreign  to 


anything  ever  experienced  in  the  older  coun 
tries. 

As  one  views  this  region  for  the  first  time, 
memory  paints  a  picture  of  the  descriptions 
that  have  been  written  of  those  early  days. 
Here  on  this  very  spot  the  Indian  was  wont  to 
congregate;  on  yonder  prairie  the  buffalo 
ranged  at  will.  Along  these  northern  trails 
one  can  picture  the  fur  clad  trapper  and  hun 
ter  wending  his  way.  Another  shift  of  the 
scenes  and  there  is  brought  into  view  a  herd 
of  cattle  in  lieu  of  the  buffalo,  and  in  place 
of  ihe  hunter  there  is  a  man  with  his  hand 
to  (he  plough — the  prairie  grass  has  given 
place  to  immense  stretches  of  golden  grain. 

Hut  here  in  Alberta  there  is  but  little  trace 
ot  the  old  days  left.  Memories  of  those 
days  si  ill  exist  in  the  minds  of  the  old  timers 
who  have  survived  those  strenuous  days  and 
who  are  reaping  in  the  present  the  fruits  ot 
their  pioneer  labors. 

Among  those  who  have  witnessed  the  great 
metamorphosis  which  has  been  wrought  dur 
ing  the  past  third  of  a  century,  there  is  none 
better  known  throughout  Edmonton  and  all 
of  northern  Alberta  than  Mr.  Cornelius  Gal 
lagher,  who  has  now  practically  retired  from 
active  life  and  who  resides  in  this  city  at 
No.  408  Eleventh  street. 

Coming  here  in  the  early  days  when  the 
Hudson's  Hay  Company's  post  was  the  chiet 
object  of  interest  here,  Mr.  Gallagher  re- 
alized  something  of  the  possibilities  of  the 
future  with  the  result  that  he  set  about  the 
acquisition  of  a  goodly  amount  of  real  estate. 
Down  along  the  Saskatchewan  river  is  a  long 
stretch  of  desirable  known  as  "Gallagher's 
Elats."  Cornelius  Gallagher  was  at  one 
time  the  sole  owner  of  all  this  land  and  today 
still  retains  a  considerable  amount.  He  if 
also  the  president  of  the  Hardstone  Brick 
Company,  Limited,  and  has  many  other 
large  and  profitable  investments  in  industrial 
and  financial  enterprises  that  entitle  Mr.  Gal 
lagher  to  be  classed  with  the  leading  men  of 
affairs  of  the  West. 

In  the  more  splendid  development  of  Ed 
monton  m  recent  years  and  in  all  civic  and 
municipal  affairs  Mr.  Gallagher  takes  a 
deep,  personal  interest — a  big-hearted  des 
cendant  of  Old  Erin  whose  friends  are  legion 
and  whose  name  is  indissolubly  linked  with 
that  of  Edmonton  and  Alberta  for  all  time 
to  come. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


49 


MR.  JAMES  GIBBONS. 
1068    Twenty-fifth    Street. 


That  Edmonton  and  Alberta  have  at 
tained  the  proud  place  they  now  occupy  has 
been  due  in  large  measure  to  the  unremitting, 
zealous  labors  of  that  little  band  of  hardy 
pioneers  who  came  here  in  the  early  days 
when  Edmonton  was  simply  a  trading  post 
conducted  by  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company; 
when  there  was  only  a  handful  of  white  peo 
ple  in  the  entire  country.  Back  in  those 
days  the  Indians  comprised  the  major  por 
tion  of  the  population  of  this  region.  The 
Buffalo  ranged  over  the  prairies  and  all 
kinds  of  game  abounded  in  profusion.  Civil 
ization  had  scarcely  advanced  this  far  in  the 
Northwest,  but  the  intrepid  souls  who  had 
ventured  into  the  comparatively  unknown 
wilderness  were  of  the  sort  who  feared  not 
the  perils  of  the  frontier,  and  who  loved  the 
call  of  the  wild. 

One  of  this  little  band  was  none  other  than 
Mr.  James  Gibbons,  who  is  now  in  his  77th 
year,  who  has  retired  from  active  life  and 
residing  at  1068  Twenty-fifth  street.  Mr. 
Gibbons  was  born  in  Ulster,  Ireland,  on 
Christmas  Day,  1837,  and  who  early  in  life 
started  out  to  see  something  of  the  world  on 
ihis  side  of  the  Atlantic.  In  1  854  he  crossed 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and  for  a  number  of 
years  worked  as  a  miner  along  the  Pacific 


coast  in  the  United  States,  and  finally  in 
1  865  made  his  way  as  far  as  Fort  Edmon 
ton.  For  a  time  he  was  engaged  in  operat 
ing  freight  and  merchandise  between  Winni 
peg  and  Edmonton.  Still  later  he  took  up  a 
homestead  in  what  is  now  known  as  Laurier 
Park.  He  was  also  Indian  Agent  for  the 
Government  for  several  years,  and  still  later 
on  engaged  in  the  wholesale  liquor  business 
in  Edmonton. 

When  the  Old  Timers'  Association  was 
formed  in  1 894,  Mr.  Gibbons  was  its  first 
president — an  honor  most  worthily  bestowed. 

He  is  indeed  one  of  the  few  survivors  link 
ing  the  past  with  the  present,  and  the  many 
interesting  reminiscences  that  he  is  able  to 
recall  bear  witness  to  the  stirring  scenes  and 
incidents  that  were  a  matter  of  such  com 
mon  occurrence  in  those  days,  and  of  which 
today  have  such  little  conception. 


STANISLAUS  LARUE. 

248    Jasper    Avenue,    East. 


50 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


We  who  visit  Edmonton  for  the  first  time 
in  this  year  1914  and  behold  stretching  in 
every  direction  a  modern  city  of  metropolitan 
aspect,  find  it  difficult  to  conceive  that  this  is 
a  community  which  has  sprung  out  of  a  wil 
derness  in  but  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  As  we  view  the  broad  paved 
streets  and  boulevards,  the  lofty  office  build 
ings  and  magnificent  private  residences  it 
seems  scarcely  possible  that  only  thirty  years 
ago  this  was  simply  a  trading  post  for  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Company  and  a  rendezvous 
for  hunters,  trappers  and  a  few  adventurous 
spirits  who  faced  the  perils  of  the  frontier 
and  paved  the  way  for  the  oncoming  of  civil 
ization. 

From  those  early  days  the  Indian  and  the 
buffalo  have  given  way  to  the  white  man  and 
the  automobile,  while  the  transcontinental 
railway  lines  have  brought  the  East  within 
easy  communication.  I  ruly  the  Last  Great 
West  is  coming  into  its  own,  and  the  early 
day  pioneers  who  survive  those  stirring  time.: 
back  in  the  early  '80's  have  only  pictures  in 
their  memories  to  remind  them  of  the  clays 
that  have  gone  never  to  return. 

Edmonton  of  today  certainly  owes  a  debt 
of  gratitude  to  those  intrepid  souls  who  made 
the  present  development  possible,  and  among 
the  list  of  those  who  are  deserving  of  more 
than  casual  mention  in  any  historical  connec 
tion  is  Mr.  Stanislas  Larue,  member  of  thai 
well  known  real  estate  firm  of  Larue  5:  Pic 
ard,  with  offices  at  248  Jasper  avenue,  East. 

It  was  back  in  1882  that  Mr.  Larue  came 
from  the  E^ast  to  Winnipeg,  which  was  then 
only  a  town  of  about  15,000  population, 
and  the  following  year  he  came  on  to  Ed 
monton,  where  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
had  established  a  post  and  where  there  was 
a  little  handful  of  white  men  gathered — 
freighters  and  trappers  who  realized  some 
thing  of  the  possibilities  of  this  great  west 
ern  country  which  was  destined  to  turn  into 
the  greatest  gram  producing  region  the  world 
has  ever  known. 

Among  other  things,  Mr.  Larue  was  em 
ployed  in  the  making  of  surveys  of  Alberta 
and  in  this  occupation  gained  a  comprehen 
sive  knowledge  of  the  country  which  has  since 
stood  him  in  good  stead  in  the  making  of  in 
vestments.  For  a  time  he  was  engaged  in 
the  work  about  St.  Albert  and  Lake  Waba- 
mun,  and  when  the  rebellion  broke  out  Mr. 
Larue  tendered  his  services  as  a  scout  and 


did  valiant  duty  along  the  trail  between  Ed 
monton  and  Calgary. 

In  1 889  he  formed  the  partnership  with 
Mr.  J.  H.  Picard  and  Larue  &  Picard  was 
the  firm  name  under  which  they  conducted  a 
mercantile  business  until  1907.  Mr.  Larue 
was  the  first  man  to  erect  a  residence  on 
Kinistino  avenue  and  in  1  890  the  firm  erect 
ed  the  block  on  Jasper  avenue,  East,  where 
the  present  offices  are  located.  Both  of  these 
pioneers  have  practically  retired  from  active 
business  life  and  now  devote  the  major  por 
tion  of  their  time  and  attention  to  their  private 
investments  which  include  a  goodly  portion 
of  some  of  the  most  valuable  realty  in  all  of 
Edmonton. 


HENRI  MILTON  MARTIN 

Real    Estate   and    Financial    Broker — Telger 
Building,     Edmonton. 


In  this  general  resume  of  the  able  men  of 
affairs  who  have  taken  such  an  active  part  in 
the  development  of  Alberta  and  the  great 
Northwest  country,  it  is  with  pleasure  we 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


151 


refer  to  the  splendid  record  of  achievements 
made  by  Mr.  Henri  Milton  Martin,  real 
estate,  insurance  and  financial  agent  of  Ed 
monton.  Although  Mr.  Martin  only  estab 
lished  himself  in  the  present  business  in  Ed 
monton  in  1  906,  he  has  previously  been  ac 
tively  identified  with  this  western  country 
for  years  and  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
region  as  a  whole. 

Although  born  at  Clintonville,  N.Y.,  on 
June  6,  1872,  Mr.  Martin  received  his 
education  in  Canada,  where  he  has  spent 
the  greater  portion  of  his  life.  He  was  a 
student  at  Plateau  Academy,  Montreal,  as 
well  as  at  the  College  de  Joliette,  and  when 
he  started  out  on  his  career  it  was  as  a 
book-keeper,  clerk  and  accountant  at  Van 
couver,  B.C.,  in  1887.  In  1890  he  was 
assistant  paymaster  with  Hugh  Keeper,  a 
contractor  at  Nelson  and  from  1891  to  1893 
he  was  accountant  and  manager  at  New 
Westminster  for  Lowenberg-Harns  &  Com 
pany.  The  succeeding  four  years  Mr.  Mar 
tin  spent  in  mining  in  the  Kootenay,  and  in 
1 898  he  entered  the  government  service  in 
the  Yukon.  The  next  year  he  filled  the 
position  of  mining  recorder.  In  1900  he 
was  Assistant  Crown  Timber  and  Land 
Agent  at  Fort  Selkirk,  Y.T.,  and  from  1902 
to  1906  filled  the  post  of  Crown  Timber 
and  Land  Agent  for  all  of  the  Yukon  Ter 
ritory  with  Headquarters  in  Dawson. 

Since  coming  to  Edmonton  and  establish 
ing  his  present  business  enterprise,  Mr.  Mar 
tin  served  as  vice-president  of  the  Edmonton 
Board  of  Trade  in  1911  and  as  president  of 
the  Greater  Edmonton  Board  of  Trade  in 
1912.  He  was  also  chosen  as  a  trustee  of 
the  Separate  School  Board  and  is  a  director 
of  and  stock  holder  in  various  Edmonton 
industrial  enterprises  established  in  recent 
years. 

He  was  appointed  attorney  in  fact  by  His 
Grace  the  Archbishop  in  1 908  and  given 
charge  of  the  material  interests  of  the  diocese 
of  St.  Albert  and  he  is  now  in  charge  of  all 
financial  affairs  of  the  archdiocese  of  Edmon 
ton. 

Mr.  Martin  is  a  member  of  the  Edmon 
ton,  Edmonton  Country,  Columbian  and 
Capital  City  Curling  clubs  as  well  as  of  the 
Knights  of  Columbus.  His  political  affilia 
tions  are  with  the  Liberal  party,  and  in  every 
forward  movement  tending  to  advance  the 
welfare  of  the  people  of  the  province,  Mr. 


Martin    has    always    signified    his    willingness 
to  lend  a  helping  hand. 


ROBERT  MCDONALD. 

Proprietor    Hotel    Selkirk    and    Yale    Hotel, 
Edmonton. 


Among  the  progressive  men  of  affairs  who 
have  taken  an  active,  personal  interest  in  the 
development  of  Alberta  and  who  has  es 
pecially  been  an  important  factor  in  the  up 
building  and  improvement  of  the  City  of 
Edmonton,  is  Mr.  Robert  McDonald,  pro 
prietor  of  two  of  the  best  known  hotels  in 
the  entire  Province — the  Yale  Hotel,  on  Jas 
per  avenue,  and  the  Hotel  Selkirk,  formerly 
the  Windsor,  at  the  corner  of  First  street  and 
Jasper  avenue. 

Mr.  McDonald,  who  ranks  as  one  of  the 
most  popular  hotel  men  of  the  Canadian 
West,  has  spent  the  greater  portion  of  his 
life  in  this  line  of  business,  and  ever  since 
1902  has  been  one  of  Edmonton's  most  loyal 
and  sanguine  supporters. 

It  was  a  little  more  than  four  years  ago 
that  Mr.  McDonald  acquired  ownership  of 


152 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


the  Yale  Hotel,  which  he  preceded  to  oper 
ate  on  the  European  plan,  the  rates  ranging 
from  $1  to  $1.50  per  day.  1  his  was  some 
thing  of  an  innovation  for  Edmonton  and 
Mr.  McDonald  made  good  from  the  begin 
ning.  I  he  Yale  has  50  guest  rooms,  a 
spacious  cafe  and  one  of  the  best  appointed 
bars  in  the  West.  1  he  house  is  furnished 
throughout  in  modern  style  and  provides  its 
guests  with  every  convenience  that  can  be 
desired. 

Having  thus  made  good  with  his  first  ven 
ture  it  was  the  logical  sequence  for  Mr.  Mc 
Donald  to  expand  his  interests  in  keeping 
with  the  general  growth  of  the  community, 
and  so  last  year  when  the  opportunity  came 
for  him  to  acquire  possession  of  the  old  and 
well  known  Windsor  Hotel,  he  lost  no  time 
in  embracing  it. 

Under  his  direction  the  building  occupied 
by  the  Windsor  was  completely  overhauled 
and  remodeled,  and  greatly  enlarged  and  im 
proved  throughout,  while  the  name,  Hotel 
Selkirk,  was  chosen  for  the  transformed 
house.  This  hostlery  now  contains  a  total 
of  100  modernly  furnished  guest  rooms,  26 
with  private  baths,  a  bar  of  ample  propor 
tions,  a  magnificent  grill  and  cafe,  and  like 
the  ^  ale  is  conducted  strictly  on  the  Euro 
pean  plan,  the  rates  ranging  from  $1.50 
to  $2.50  per  day.  Both  of  these  hotels 
cater  to  the  very  best  class  of  trade  and  are 
specially  favorites  among  commercial  travel 
ers  and  tourists.  Mr.  McDonald  has  two 
very  capable  staffs  of  assistants  for  these 
hotels  and  the  utmost  courtesy  and  consider 
ation  is  shown  to  every  guest.  He  spends 
the  major  portion  of  his  time  between  the  two 
places  giving  his  personal  direction  to  the 
management  and  to  a  general  supervision  of 
the  many  details  which  enter  into  the  con 
duct  of  hotels  of  this  magnitude. 


varied  field  for  the  activities  of  the  individual 
who  has  thoroughly  prepared  himself  for  the 
law. 


HYNDMAN  &  HYNDMAN. 

Barristers  and  Solicitors — Third  Floor  Royal 
Bank    Building. 

In  the  general  practice  of  the  legal  pro 
fession  there  is  probably  not  another  com- 
munily  in  all  of  Canada  offering  such  ex 
ceptional  advantages  as  Edmonton.  Not 
only  is  this  the  capital  city  of  Alberta,  but 
its  growing  importance  in  a  commercial  and 
industrial  way  has  opened  up  a  broad  and 


J.   D.   HYNDMAN. 

To  illustrate  the  truth  of  this  statement  it 
is  only  necessary  to  refer  to  the  splendid  pro 
gress  which  has  been  made  by  Hyndman  & 
Hyndman,  a  successful  firm  of  barristers  and 
solicitors  with  offices  occupying  the  entire 
third  floor  of  the  Royal  Bank  Building.  The 
senior  member  of  this  firm,  Mr.  James  D. 
Hyndman,  although  but  forty  years  of  age, 
ranks  as  a  veteran  in  point  of  experience. 
Mr.  Hyndman  was  born  at  Charlottetown, 
P.E.I.,  on  July  29,  1874,  and  received  his 
education  at  the  Prince  of  Wales  College, 
at  Charlottetown.  He  then  took  up  the 
study  of  law  and  when  he  responded  to  the 
call  of  the  West  in  1899  it  was  to  engage 
in  active  practice  as  a  member  of  the  firm 
of  Macdonald  &  Hyndman,  at  Portage  la 
Prairie.  Four  years  later  Mr.  Hyndman 
came  to  Edmonton,  and  for  the  next  two 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


153 


years  was  identified  with  the  firm  of  Ken 
nedy  &  Hyndman.  In  1905  he  formed  the 
present  partnership  with  Mr.  H.  H.  Hynd 
man,  and  so  rapidly  did  their  business  de 
velop  that  last  year  Messrs.  Milner  and 
Matheson,  two  capable  representatives  of 
the  younger  generation  of  Edmonton  bar 
risters  were  taken  into  the  firm. 

Mr.  J.  D.  Hyndman,  aside  from  his  law- 
business,  is  vice-president  of  the  Northwest 
Mortgage  Corporation,  Limited;  director  of 
the  Dawson  Coal  Company  and  of  the  Ed 
monton  Mortgage  Corporation.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  of 
the  city  in  1910-1911  and  also  as  a  member 
of  the  Hospital  Board  in  1 9 1 0.  In  1908 
Mr.  Hyndman  was  the  unsuccessful  Con 
servative  candidate  against  Frank  Oliver  for 
a  seat  in  the  Dominion  Parliament,  but  the 
strong  fight  put  up  by  Mr.  Hyndman  marked 
him  as  a  man  worthy  of  political  preference 
and  in  the  1913  provincial  campaign  he  was 
selected  as  a  candidate  against  the  Hon. 
J.  R.  Boyle  for  the  Sturgeon  constituency. 
Although  again  unsuccessful,  Mr.  Hynd- 
man's  spirit  is  undaunted,  and  it  is  altogether 
likely  that  the  future  has  in  store  for  him 
great  political  honors.  He  is  a  born  fighter 
and  defeat  does  not  discourage  him. 


E.   S.   McQUAID,   B.A.,   LL.B. 

Barrister     and     Solicitor — Gariepy     Block, 

Edmonton. 

While  the  upbuilding  of  Edmonton  and 
the  general  development  of  the  province  of 
Alberta  has  in  large  measure  been  the  result 
of  the  patient,  untiring  efforts  of  the  early 
day  pioneers,  we  should  not  lose  sight  of  the 
part  that  has  been  played  by  the  younger 
generation  in  recent  years  and  of  the  in 
domitable  energy  and  pluck  which  has  won 
for  them  the  respect  and  admiration  of  the 
older  heads. 

In  this  connection  we  know  of  no  better 
example  to  cite  than  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Ed 
ward  S.  McQuaid,  barrister  and  solicitor, 
whose  offices  are  in  the  Gariepy  Block. 
This  capable  and  talented  young  lawyer 
made  his  debut  in  Edmonton  in  1  908.  Here 
he  hung  out  his  shingle,  and  with  only  a 
limited  amount  of  capital  at  his  command 
started  in  on  his  career.  He  came  at  a  most 
opportune  time,  at  a  time  when  Edmonton 
was  just  beginning  to  come  into  her  own, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  Mr.  McQuaid  had 


built  up  considerable  of  a  general  practice. 
But  all  the  time  he  was  practicing  law  he 
was  keeping  his  eyes  open  for  profitable  fin 
ancial  investments,  with  the  result  that  he 
soon  began  to  acquire  considerable  valuable 
real  estate.  Following  this  he  turned  his  at 
tention  to  finance  as  well  as  the  law,  and 
now  devotes  his  spare  time  to  making  loans 
and  various  kinds  of  financial  investments 
for  his  many  clients  who  have  come  to  repose 
perfect  confidence  in  his  judgment  and  ability. 


Mr.  McQuaid  was  born  in  Elgin,  Albert 
county,  N.B.,  on  August  25,  1881.  In 
turn  he  was  educated  at  the  Provincial  Nor 
mal  School,  at  Fredericton,  N.B.,  at  Mount 
Allison  University  and  at  Harvard  and  Man 
itoba  Universities,  receiving  degrees  in  Arts 
and  Law.  This  thorough  preparation  well 
prepared  him  for  his  chosen  profession  and 
throughout  the  Canadian  West  it  would  be 
difficult  to  find  another  of  his  age  who  has 
won  so  many  laurels.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Canadian  and  Edmonton  clubs,  and  a 
prominent  character  m  all  social  as  well  as 
professional  circles. 


154 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


SKETCHES 


OF  INDUSTRIAL  CONCERNS  IDENTIFIED  WITH  THE 
PROGRESS  OF  CENTRAL  ALBERTA 


BLOWEY-HENRY    COMPANY. 

Furniture  and  Furnishings — 292-300  Jasper 
Avenue,    Fasl,    Edmonton, 


Coincident  with  the  general  growth  and 
development  of  Edmonton  in  recent  years 
has  been  the  splendid  progress  made  by 
many  of  the  mercantile  firms,  for,  as  a  trade 
center  in  both  a  wholesale  and  retail  way, 
this  city  already  ranks  as  a  leader  in  Alberta 
and  one  of  the  most  important  in  all  of  the 
Canadian  West. 

A  typical  example  of  this  is  to  be  found 
in  the  advancement  which  has  been  made  by 
the  Blowey-Henry  Company,  dealers  in  fur 
niture  and  furnishings,  with  finely  appointed 
show  rooms  at  292  to  300  Jasper  avenue, 
East.  Eight  years  ago  this  progressive  firm 
began  business  in  a  modest  way  in  a  little 
two-storey  frame  building,  while  the  working 
members  of  the  staff  could  be  counted  on  the 


fingers  of  one  hand.  Today  the  company 
occupies  a  modern  four-storey  structure  hav 
ing  more  than  100,000  square  feet  of  floor 
space  available  for  the  storage  and  display 
of  its  immense  stock  of  everything  coming 
under  the  general  heads  of  furniture  and 
furnishings.  Not  only  does  the  Blowey- 
Henry  Company  do  a  large  retail  business 
in  supplying  the  wants  of  the  people  of  Ed 
monton  and  vicinity,  but  its  wholesale  trade 
has  developed  accordingly,  and  it  regularly 
supplies  dealers  in  all  the  principal  com 
munities  throughout  the  northern  portion  of 
the  province. 

1  he  stock  embraces  the  ordinary  lines  of 
moderate  price  which  have  a  place  in  the 
modest  cottage  as  well  as  the  costly,  ex 
clusive  creations  for  the  palatial  mansion. 
One  floor  alone  is  devoted  to  draperies  and 
floor  coverings  and  the  array  of  carpets  is 
representative  of  everything  from  a  medium 
priced  Tapestry  to  the  high-grade  Wiltons 
and  Axmmsters. 

The  success  the  firm  has  attained  is  due 
in  large  measure  to  the  superior  quality  of 
goods  handled  and  to  the  wide  experience  in 
the  furniture  business  possessed  by  the  indi 
vidual  members  of  the  company.  Then,  too, 
there  has  been  the  loyal  support  of  the  em 
ployees,  who  have  always  sought  to  show 
their  appreciation  of  good  treatment  by  the 
personal  interest  they  have  taken  in  the  busi 
ness  and  the  courteous  treatment  shown  all 
customers. 


W.  B.  POUCHER. 

The    Builders'    Material    Man — Wholesale 

and   Retail — 635    Fifth  Street, 

Edmonton. 

Truly  one  of  the  marvels  of  the  age  has 
been  the  wonderful  advancement  made  by 
the  province  of  Alberta  during  the  past  de- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


cade.  Not  only  has  splendid  progress  been 
made  m  the  development  of  the  natural  re 
sources  of  all  this  vast  region,  but  in  all 
other  lines  as  well,  and  the  manner  in  which 
the  flourishing  towns  and  cities  have  grown 
can  only  be  termed  as  phenomenal.  Best 
of  all,  this  growth  has  been  a  healthy  one. 
It  has  not  been  due  to  any  so-called  "boom" 
or  any  fictitious  basis  of  values,  but  because 
of  the  real  worth  of  this  country  and  the 
substantial  backing  which  means  a  long  con 
tinuance  of  the  present  prosperous  condi 
tions. 

Nowhere  is  this  better  illustrated  than  in 
the  upbuilding  of  the  city  of  Edmonton — 
a  community  which  now  boasts  of  a  popula 
tion  of  approximately  70,000  people.  Ac 
companying  this  wonderful  expansion  in 
recent  years  has  been  a  corresponding  ac 
tivity  in  building  operations,  and  the  many 
large  and  substantial  structures  that  have 
been  erected  reflect  the  fullest  measure  of 
confidence  that  investors  possess  in  the  sta 
bility  of  city  and  province. 

Closely  identified  with  the  building  in 
terests  of  Edmonton  are  the  firms  and  in 
dividuals  who  are  devoting  their  attention 
to  the  supplying  of  contractors  and  builders 
with  the  requisite  materials  for  such  work, 
and  an  acknowledged  leader  in  this  con 
nection  is  Mr.  W.  B.  Poucher,  whose  office, 
yards  and  ware  rooms  are  at  635  Fifth  street, 
with  a  South  side  branch  at  the  corner  of 
First  street,  West  and  Fourth  avenue.  South. 

Mr.  Poucher  is  a  wholesale  and  retail 
dealer  in  practically  everything  coming  under 
the  general  head  of  building  supplies.  In 
fact,  so  well  established  is  Mr.  Poucher  that 
the  sobriquet  of  "The  Builders'  Material 
Man,"  is  a  most  unique  and  appropriate  ap 
pellation,  and  one  that  he  has  well  earned 
in  giving  the  general  public  such  a  superior 
service. 

Mr.  Poucher  made  his  establishment  in 
Edmonton  in  1902,  and  during  the  period 
which  has  since  intervened  his  well  directed 
efforts  have  kept  steady  pace  with  the  city's 
general  growth.  He  has  been  a  leading 
factor  in  the  promotion  of  building  of  every 
description,  and  some  idea  of  the  scale  on 
which  he  operates  may  be  gained  from  the 
statement  that  he  gives  employment  to  a  staff 
of  22  workmen  and  assistants  and  utilizes  a 
force  of  14  teams  in  making  deliveries  to 
all  required  points.  His  stock  is  a  most 


comprehensive  one,  including  sand,  lime, 
brick,  cement,  sewer  and  drain  pipe,  building 
paper,  roofing  materials,  hardwall  plaster, 
etc.,  and  these  are  provided  in  quantities  to 
suit  the  customer,  no  matter  whether  it  be  a 
car  lost  or  less. 

Mr.  Poucher  is  a  loyal,  enthusiastic  sup 
porter  of  Edmonton  interests,  and  a  splendid 
example  of  the  type  of  men  who  are  doing 
so  much  to  promote  the  welfare  of  all  this 
section  of  the  Last  Great  West. 


CANADA     PERMANENT     MORT 
GAGE   CORPORATION. 

1  38    McDougall    Avenue,    Edmonton. 

Incorporated  in  1855,  the  Canada  Per 
manent  Mortgage  Corporation  has  not  only 
enjoyed  a  long  and  prosperous  career,  but 
ranks  today  as  one  of  the  leading  financial 
institutions  of  the  Dominion.  The  company's 
head  office  is  at  Toronto,  while  large  and 
important  branches  are  maintained  at  Ed 
monton,  Regina,  St.  John,  N.B.,  Vancouver 
,and  Winnipeg.  It  has  a  paid  up  capital  of 
$6,000,000;  a  reserve  fund  of  $4,250,000 
and  total  assets  amounting  to  $31,826,618. 
37 — a  showing  which  indicates  something  of 
the  big  scale  on  which  the  Canada  Perma 
nent  Mortgage  Corporation  operates  through 
out  all  parts  of  Canada. 

This  old  established  concern  is  purely  an 
investment  company;  not  a  speculative  enter 
prise,  and  its  solidity  is  largely  due  to  the 
fact  that  ninety  per  cent  of  its  assets  is  in 
the  form  of  mortgages  on  real  estate. 

The  Edmonton  branch  at  1  38  McDougall 
avenue  is  one  of  the  most  prosperous  of  all, 
and  for  the  past  eight  years  the  manager  has 
been  Mr.  W.  T.  Creighton,  a  gentleman 
who  has  been  identified  with  the  company  for 
the  past  twenty-eight  years,  and  who  is  wide 
ly  known  and  most  highly  esteemed  in  all 
business  and  financial  circles  of  the  West. 


E.  N.  MOVER  COMPANY,  LIMITED 

Canada's       School       Furnishers — McKenny 

Building,    No.    665,     104th    Street, 

Edmonton. 

The  advancement  which  has  been  made  in 
the  development  of  the  province  of  Alberta 
within  the  past  decade,  and  particularly  in 


56 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


the  growing  towns  and  cities,  is  especially 
apparent  in  Edmonton — a  community  whose 
population  is  now  close  to  the  70,000  mark 
and  whose  building  operations  average  some 
thing  over  $1,000,000  per  month.  Whole 
sale  merchants  and  manufacturers  in  general 
are  beginning  to  realize  more  and  more  the 
advantages  to  be  derived  by  the  establish 
ment  of  branches  here,  for  not  only  is  the 
local  business  a  matter  of  increasing  impor 
tance,  bul  the  trade  throughout  the  adjoin 
ing  territory  tributary  to  Edmonton  is  rapidly 
attaining  large  proportions. 

A  well  known  Canadian  Concern  which 
has  appreciated  the  value  of  this  western 
country  is  the  E.  N.  Moyer  Company,  Lim 
ited,  manufacturers,  publishers  and  importers, 
and  which  ranks  as  the  premier  hrm  of  the 
Dominion  in  supplying  schools,  churches  and 
other  institutions  with  furniture  and  other 
supplies. 

I  his  company  made  its  beginning  in  1  o- 
ronto  in  1884,  and  its  thirty  years  of  life 
have  been  most  prosperous  ones.  1  oday  it 
has  branches  in  Winnipeg  and  Edmonton, 
the  latter  having  been  opened  in  1909  and 
the  scope  of  its  operations  embraces  practic 
ally  all  of  the  Dominion.  Here  in  the  West 
the  E.  N.  Moyer  Company,  Limited,  has 
supplied  such  well  known  institutions  as  the 
Edmonton  Jesuit  College,  St.  John's  Col 
lege,  St.  Boniface  College,  Calgary  Separate 
Schools,  Edmonton  Separate  Schools,  Ed 
monton  Public  Schools,  as  well  as  those  at 
Red  Deer,  I  rochu,  Lethbridge,  Camrose 
and  other  points. 

Some  of  the  lines  handled  are  the  New 
Empire  desks.  Harvard  desks,  Moulthrop 
chairs,  Teachers'  desks,  Steel  desks,  New 
Empire  Maps  and  Globes,  Hyloplate  black 
board  and  Mover's  Clean  Air  System  of 
heating  and  ventilating. 

The  company's  facilities  for  supplying  or 
ders  of  every  description  and  in  any  quantity, 
great  or  small,  are  unsurpassed,  while  the 
superior  quality  of  its  wares  makes  the  Moyer 
goods  standard  in  every  locality. 


is  especially  apparent  in  such  thriving  com 
munities  as  Edmonton — a  city  whose  sub 
stantial  and  permanent  growth  has  made  the 
whole  world  sit  up  and  take  notice.  1  hrough- 
out  the  down  town  section  stately  and  im 
posing  office  buildings  have  sprung  up  as  if 
by  magic,  and  in  the  residential  districts 
luxurious  homes  add  greatly  to  the  general 
appearance  of  this  City  Beautiful. 

A  contributing  factor  to  the  splendid  up 
building  of  the  city  in  recent  years  has  been 
the  firm  of  Schwarz  Brothers,  importers  and 
contractors  for  tiling,  tiles  and  marble  for 
all  uses,  and  whose  office  and  display  rooms 
are  at  551  Fourth  street.  I  his  enterprising 
firm  comprises  Messrs.  E.  R.  Schwarz  and 
A.  E.  Schwarz,  who  formed  the  partnership 
in  I  9  1  0,  and  who  have  more  than  made  good 
with  their  venture  in  this  western  country. 
1  hey  carry  in  stock  and  take  orders  for 
everything  in  the  shape  of  geometrical,  en 
caustic  and  plain  tile;  art  mosaic  and  ceramic 
mosaic  floors  in  various  arrangements  and 
colors  for  use  in  entrance  halls,  porticoes, 
lobbies,  kitchens,  conservatories,  churches, 
etc.  ;  enamel  tile,  dull  glazed  faience,  matt 
glazes,  terra  vitrea,  mouldings,  skirting,  white 
gla/ed  tile  for  dadoes,  fire-places,  hearths, 
bath  rooms,  kitchens,  sink  backs,  stairways, 
store  fronts,  signs  and  the  like.  They  also 
stock  with  grates  and  fire-place  furniture  and 
marble  for  all  purposes,  and  have  every 
facility  for  supplying  of  special  and  original 
designs  to  suit  any  particular  or  exacting 
need. 

I  he  Messrs.  Schwarz  operate  with  a  force 
of  20  competent  and  expert  tile  workers  and 
examples  of  their  proficiency  in  this  form  of 
decoration  are  to  be  found  in  many  of  the 
better  class  of  buildings  that  have  been  erect 
ed  in  recent  years.  Altogether  the  firm  per 
forms  a  most  useful  service  to  the  general 
public  and  certainly  merits  the  support  of 
all  in  its  efforts  which  are  of  such  value 
in  enhancing  the  beauty  of  interior  construc 
tion. 


SCHWARTZ   BROTHERS. 

Tiles,     Mantels    and    Grates — 551     Fourth 
Street,    Edmonton. 

While  the  province  of  Alberta  has  made 
a  most  astounding  record  in  all  forms  of  de 
velopment  work  during  the  past  decade,  this 


JOHNSTON   &   BOON,    LIMITED. 

Wholesale    Tobacconists    and   Confectioners. 

Kelly  Block,  Jasper  Avenue  and  Fifth 

Street,   Edmonton. 

That  Edmonton  is  rapidly  developing  in 
to  a  wholesale  center  of  growing  importance 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


157 


is  evidenced  by  the  splendid  advancement 
made  by  such  progressive  concerns  as  John 
ston  &  Boon,  Limited,  wholesale  tobaccon 
ists  and  confectioners,  with  offices  and  stock 
rooms  in  the  Kelly  Block,  at  the  corner  of 
Fifth  street  and  Jasper  avenue. 

This  successful  company  had  its  origin  in 
Fort  William,  Ontario,  something  over  seven 
years  ago,  being  founded  by  Messrs.  R.  C. 
Johnston  and  C.  W.  Boon.  Two  years  after 
it  started  the  firm  broadened  its  scope  of 
operations  by  opening  a  branch  at  Sault  Ste 
Marie,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  J.  J. 
McCormack,  who  had  previously  been  in  the 
retail  cigar  and  tobacco  trade  there  for  ten 
years. 

About  eighteen  months  ago  the  business 
was  incorporated  as  a  limited  company  with 
head  office  at  Fort  William  in  charge  of 
Mr.  R.  C.  Johnston.  Since  that  time  a 
second  branch  has  been  opened,  viz.,  the 
one  here  in  Edmonton,  which  is  under  the 
supervision  of  Mr.  C.  W.  Boon. 

The  officers  and  directors  of  the  company 
include  Mr.  R.  C.  Johnston,  president;  Mr. 
C.  W.  Boon,  secretary;  William  Buchta, 
Fort  William;  J.  J.  McCormack,  Sault  Ste 
Marie  and  J.  H.  Duff,  Fort  William. 

The  stock  carried  in  Edmonton  is  repres 
entative  of  that  at  the  other  houses,  em 
bracing  a  fine  selection  of  imported  and 
domestic,  cigars,  cigarettes,  tobaccos,  pipes, 
smokers'  supplies  and  choice  confectionery. 
The  line  of  pipes  and  smokers'  sundries  can 
not  be  surpassed  and  dealers  who  are  am 
bitious  to  fill  their  shelves  with  seasonable 
goods  in  these  and  the  other  lines  will  make 
no  mistake  by  extending  their  patronage  to 
Johnston  &  Boon,  Limited. 

From  this  western  house  the  firm  covers 
practically  all  of  Alberta  and  Saskatchewan, 
and  the  big  stock  carried  in  Edmonton  is 
sufficient  to  meet  all  demands  promptly  and 
in  an  eminently  satisfactory  manner.  No 
matter  whether  you  call  in  person  or  send 
the  order  by  mail  it  will  receive  the  same 
careful  and  considerate  attention,  and  as  to 
the  quality  there  is  never  any  question.  This 
is  the  asset  on  which  the  company  has  built 
up  such  an  excellent  reputation  throughout 
all  of  Western  Canada. 


ALEXANDER-HILPERT  FUR  COM 
PANY,  LIMITED. 

MacLean  Block,  609  Jasper  Avenue,  West. 
Edmonton. 

In  this  far  northern  country  where  the 
human  framework  demands  adequate  pro 
tection  from  the  chilly  blasts  of  winter,  there 
is  nothing  more  essential  than  good  fur  gar 
ments — such,  for  example,  as  the  high  class 
lines  manufactured  and  sold  by  the  Alexan- 
der-Hilpert  Fur  Company,  Limited,  whose 
work  and  sales  rooms  are  so  centrally  located 
at  609  Jasper  avenue,  West. 

This  company  of  genuine  fur  specialists 
made  its  establishment  in  this  city  in  1910, 
and  the  splendid  success  that  has  crowned 
its  efforts  is  the  result  of  long  experience  on 
the  part  of  the  management  in  the  buying  and 
manufacturing  of  furs  in  such  big  centers  as 
Montreal,  Toronto,  Vienna  and  Paris. 

In  addition  to  the  manufacture  of  a  gen 
eral  line  of  fur  garments  for  men  and  women, 
the  company  also  buys  choice  raw  furs  and 
skins  and  has  every  facility  for  the  remodeling 
and  renovating  of  old  furs. 

The  president  and  manager  is  Mr.  N.  D. 
J.  Alexander,  a  successful  and  enterprising 
business  man  of  the  highest  standing  in  all 
circles. 


WAINWRIGHT  &  JACKSON. 

Funeral      Directors — 30      Second      Avenue, 
S.W.    Edmonton,    South. 

The  wonderful  advancement  that  has  been 
made  in  all  the  arts  and  sciences  during  the 
past  quarter  of  a  century  is  nowhere  more  in 
evidence  than  in  the  improved,  scientinc 
methods  employed  by  the  funeral  directors 
of  the  present  day  and  generation.  Not  only 
has  the  art  of  embalm/rig  come  inio  general 
use  by  the  members  of  this  profession,  but 
other  approved  practices  as  well,  and  the 
visits  of  the  Grim  Reaper  have  been  shorn 
of  much  of  their  horror  by  the  careful  and 
painstaking  manner  in  which  the  Twentieth 
Century  funeral  director  prepares  a  body  for 
burial  and  conducts  the  funeral  ceremonies. 

An  Edmonton  firm  which  has  attained  a 
most  enviable  position  in  the  estimation  of 
the  general  public  during  the  eighteen  years 
it  has  been  engaged  in  the  undertakin  busi- 


58 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


ness  is  Wainwright  &  Jackson,  whose  finely 
appointed  establishment  is  in  Edmonton 
South,  at  No.  30  Second  avenue,  S.  W. 
The  individual  members  of  this  partnership 
are  Messrs.  Sam  Wainwright  and  R.  O. 
Jackson — two  of  the  city's  most  capable  and 
successful  men  of  affairs.  In  connection  with 
the  general  undertaking  business,  the  firm 
also  operates  a  full  livery,  cab  and  hack  ser 
vice,  and  its  modern,  up-to-date  equipment 
is  unsurpassed  by  any  similar  company  in 
all  of  Alberta.  The  firm  is  prepared  to 
answer  all  calls  for  its  services  at  any  hour 
of  the  day  or  night,  having  a  competent  staff 
of  assistants  and  drivers  who  are  noted  for 
their  courtesy  and  infinite  attention  to  all  the 
little  details  which  are  so  essential.  It  also 
has  ready  for  instant  use  at  all  times  a  well 
equipped,  heated  ambulance  which  affords 
comfortable  transportation  for  the  sick  or  in 
jured  in  the  very  coldest  weather. 

Messrs.  Wainwright  and  Jackson  are  in 
deed  open  to  congratulation  on  having  given 
the  people  of  Edmonton  an  enterprise  of  such 
real  merit  and  such  practical  utility  to  the 
community  at  large. 


FARNEY  TRUCK  COMPANY. 

Office,     Storage     and     Garage — 554     First 
Street,   Edmonton. 

Among  the  energetic  individuals  who  have 
been  quick  to  take  advantage  of  the  op 
portunities  for  success  offered  by  the  thriving 
city  of  Edmonton  is  Mr.  D.  V.  Farney,  who 
is  the  active  head  and  owner  of  the  Farney 
Truck  Company  and  the  City  Messenger  Ex 
press  Company,  two  allied  enterprises  with 
headquarters  at  No.  554  First  street. 

It  was  only  a  little  more  than  four  years 
ago  that  Mr.  Farney  invested  his  limited 
amount  of  capital  in  a  single  team  and 
started  the  work  of  moving  furniture,  trans- 
fering  baggage,  delivering  parcels  and  hauling 
anything  and  everything  that  came  along. 
From  that  modest  beginning  the  above  com 
panies  have  made  wonderful  development. 
Foday  the  Farney  Truck  Company  operates 
with  seventeen  teams  and  three  motor  trucks 
and  twenty-eight  employees  are  on  the  pay 
roll. 

Of  course  all  of  these  men  and  all  of  the 
equipment  were  not  added  at  one  time.  As 
the  business  grew  Mr.  Farney  increased  his 


facilities  in  accordance  with  the  demands  put 
upon  him,  and  so  he  will  continue  adding 
to  his  teams  and  motor  trucks  in  keeping  with 
the  general  growth  of  Edmonton. 

A  storage  department  is  now  one  of  the 
useful  adjuncts  of  the  Farney  Truck  Com 
pany's  business,  and  the  big  warehouses  that 
are  utilized  for  this  purpose  insure  the  safe 
keeping  of  everything  in  the  line  of  furniture 
and  household  goods.  The  parcel  delivery 
service,  too,  is  something  that  local  merchants 
have  been  quick  to  take  advantage  of,  and 
the  speedy,  careful  messengers  employed  by 
the  company  are  a  guarantee  of  the  maximum 
amount  of  satisfaction  to  the  merchant  as 
well  as  to  the  customer. 

Mr.  Farney  also  owns  and  operates  his 
own  carriage  shop  and  blacksmithing  depart 
ment.  He  is  the  owner  of  the  McGeorge 
C  afe  and  the  numerous  investments  he  has 
made  in  Edmonton  real  estate  is  convincing 
proof  of  his  confidence  in  Edmonton  and 
of  the  fact  that  he  is  one  of  the  city's  most 
loyal  and  faithful  supporters. 


THE   ALBERTA   GRANITE,    MAR 
BLE  &  STONE  COMPANY. 

Corner  Clark  and  First  Streets.      Edmonton, 

Closely  identified  with  the  building  interests 
and  the  other  industrial  enterprises  of  Ed 
monton  is  the  Alberta  Granite,  Marble  & 
Stone  Company,  whose  office  and  works  are 
so  conveniently  located  at  the  corner  of 
Clark  and  First  streets. 

This  company,  which  was  formed  nine 
years  ago,  is  under  the  personal  management 
of  Mr.  R.  T.  Dykes,  who  has  had  a 
thorough,  practical  experience  in  this  field 
of  endeavor  and  who  has  made  a  splendid 
success  of  the  undertaking. 

The  Alberta  Granite,  Marble  &  Stone 
Company  devotes  its  attention  to  the  produc 
tion  of  high-grade  marble  and  granite  monu 
ments,  tomb  stones,  head  stones,  etc.,  to 
gether  with  marble  for  interior  or  exterior 
use  in  buildings,  curbing,  marble  counters, 
and  operates  with  a  goodly  number  of  work 
ers  who  are  experts  in  the  artistic  execution 
of  simple  or  ornate  designs. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


159 


THE     EDMONTON     BREWING     & 

MALTING    COMPANY, 

LIMITED. 

Office    and    Brewery,    Twenty-First    Street. 
Edmonton. 

Ainong  the  industrial  enterprises  that  have 
steadily  kept  pace  with  the  general  growth 
and  development  of  Edmonton  and  the  pro 
vince  of  Alberta  is  the  Edmonton  Brewing 
&:  Malting  Company,  Limited,  whose  mag 
nificent  new  plant  on  I  wenty-First  street  rep 
resents  the  very  last  word  in  brewery  con 
struction. 


The  huge  storage  tanks  are  all  of  steel  with 
glass  enameled  interiors,  and  the  sanitary 
arrangement  of  the  entire  plant  is  something 
that  could  not  well  be  improved  upon. 

In  the  operation  of  the  various  departments 
of  the  brewery  and  in  the  wholesale  distribu 
tion  of  the  output  throughout  Edmonton  and 
the  surrounding  territory  in  Alberta  and  the 
adjoining  provinces  of  Saskatchewan  and 
British  Columbia,  a  force  of  from  thirty- 
five  to  forty  employees  is  required — all  men 
of  thorough  experience  in  the  brewing  in 
dustry.  Inasmuch  as  the  new  plant  is  in 
close  proximity  to  the  lines  of  the  C.N.R. 


This  progressive  company  was  originally 
incorporated  in  1903,  and  the  following 
year  began  the  manufacture  of  a  general 
line  of  malt  products  which  have  become 
famous  throughout  the  western  country ;  such 
well  known  and  reliable  brands  as  the  cele 
brated  "Yellowhead"  beer;  the  "Edmonton 
Family  Lager"  and  "Imperial  Stout." 

The  advancement  made  in  the  ten  years 
of  the  company's  existence  are  best  illustrated 
in  the  handsome  new  brewery  which  was 
completed  ready  for  occupancy  but  a  few 
months  ago.  This  is  a  substantial,  five-story 
structure,  of  brick  and  reinforced  concrete 
construction,  and  embodying  all  the  ideal 
features  which  modern  methods  have  brought 
into  use  in  play  in  this  line  of  manufacture. 


and  the  G.T.P.,  there  is  every  facility  for 
the  receipt  of  raw  materials  as  well  as  the 
shipment  of  the  manufactured  products. 

All  of  the  barley  utilized  by  the  Edmon 
ton  Brewing  &  Malting  Company,  Limited, 
comes  from  the  farming  district  in  the  ter 
ritory  surrounding  Edmonton,  and  in  thus  af 
fording  a  market  for  this  cereal  is  rendering 
valuable  aid  to  the  agricultural  community. 

The  plant  has  a  capacity  for  the  making 
of  75,000  barrels  of  beer  per  year,  this  in 
cluding  the  various  brands  above  mentioned. 
The  company,  being  capitalized  for  $750,- 
000,  has  ample  funds  at  its  command  and  is 
fully  prepared  to  conduct  the  business  in  a 
most  successful  manner. 


60 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


The  officers  of  the  company  are  Mr.  D. 
R.  Ker,  president,  who  resides  in  Victoria, 
B.C.,  and  Messrs.  W.  H.  Sheppard  and 
W.  E.  Lines,  of  Edmonton,  are  the  manag 
ing  directors. 


ALBERTA  SCHOOL  SUPPLY  COM 
PANY. 

10125   104th  Street,     Edmonton. 

An  Edmonton  firm  that  is  carrying  on  a 
most  commendable  work  in  the  wholesale 
handling  of  school  supplies  and  many  other 
things  pertaining  to  educational  matters  is 
the  Alberta  School  Supply  Company,  whose 
office  and  display  rooms  are  at  No.  10125 
104th  street. 

Among  the  leading  specialties  in  school 
equipment  handled  by  this  progressive  firm 
are  the  "Preston  Ball-Beanng  Desks,"  and 
"Acme  Plate"  Blackboard,  which  have  been 
adopted  by  many  of  the  leading  educational 
institutions  of  the  Provine.  The  company  is 
also  agent  for  the  "Hero"  ventilating  room 
heaters  and  the  "Parkyte"  sanitary  closets 
— the  very  best  devices  of  the  kind  on  the 
market. 

The  company  also  has  every  facility  for 
the  handling  of  debentures,  having,  during 
the  past  year  successfully  disposed  of  over 
$3,000,000  worth  of  Alberta  school  bonds. 
It  likewise  furnishes  bonds  for  school  treas 
urers,  rural  municipalities,  etc.,  and  makes 
a  specialty  of  supplying  insurance  for  school 
buildings. 

Mr.  A.  F.  Carrothers  is  the  active  man 
ager  of  the  business,  and  associated  with  him 
in  the  conduct  of  the  same  is  Mr.  A.  L. 
Gillies. 


EDMONTON   CITY   DAIRY, 
LIMITED. 

Cameron   Street,    Edmonton. 

Established  in  1906,  the  Edmonton  City 
Dairy,  Limited,  is  a  local  enterprise  which 
has  made  wonderful  advancement  and  which 
stands  today  the  acknowledged  leader  in  the 
handling  of  dairy  products  in  Alberta  or 
the  Canadian  West.  Not  only  has  it  become 
a  most  important  factor  in  supplying  milk, 
cream,  butter,  ice  cream,  eggs,  etc.,  to  the 


people  of  this  community,  but  has  accom 
plished  a  world  of  good  in  providing  a  mar 
ket  for  the  farmers  who  have  turned  then- 
attention  to  dairying  as  a  profitable  adjunct 
to  their  general  farming. 

When  the  Edmonton  City  Dairy,  Limited, 
was  first  incorporated  in  1909,  it  was  with 
a  capital  stock  of  $50,000.  The  next  year 
it  was  re-capitalized  for  $100,000.  In 
1912  it  was  increased  to  $250,000,  and  last 
year  it  was  raised  to  an  even  half  million 
dollars.  That  is  a  graphic  illustration  of  the 
healthy,  steady  growth  which  has  charac 
terized  all  of  the  company's  operations. 

Those  who  have  been  actively  identified 
with  the  operation  of  this  growing  concern 
are  Mr.  W.  W.  Prevey,  managing  director, 
H.  W.  Johnston,  an  active  director,  and 
Mr.  George  Hazlett,  secretary,  while  the 
board  of  directors  include  such  prominent 
men  of  the  community  as  D.  W.  Warner, 
G.  A.  Wilkinson,  J.  A.  Davis,  E.  Gee,  J. 
H.  Morris  and  J.  W.  McKernan.  All  are 
staunch  men  of  affairs  and  active  in  the  de 
velopment  of  the  city  and  province. 

A  few  interesting  figures  are  to  be  gleaned 
from  a  statement  of  what  the  Edmonton 
Dairy  Company,  Limited,  has  been  able  to 
accomplish  during  the  past  eight  years,  and 
of  the  really  big  scale  on  which  it  operates. 

In  1909  the  company  manufactured  74,- 
000  pounds  of  butter.  Last  year  it  reached 
the  handsome  total  of  1,708,203  pounds. 
In  1  9  1  2  the  milk  department  sold  1 ,822,9  1  6 
quarts,  and  last  year  this  was  increased  to 
2,875,764  quarts.  It  sold  36,782  gallons 
of  ice  cream  in  1912,  and  in  1913  the 
figures  are  placed  at  61,724  gallons.  In 
1912  the  firm  handled  173,037  dozen  eggs, 
while  last  year  a  total  of  420,850  were  dis 
posed  of  to  its  many  customers.  Last  year 
272,370  quarts  of  cream  were  sold — a  gain 
of  more  than  125,000  quarts  over  the  pre 
ceding  twelve  months.  All  told,  the  total 
turn-over  for  1912  amounted  to  $674,784, 
and  for  1913  it  was  $1,130,367. 

Such  figures  are  indicative  of  the  splendid 
management  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Prevey,  and 
of  the  loyal  support  that  has  been  given  by 
the  staff  of  approximately  200  employees. 
For  1914,  judging  by  the  business  handled 
during  the  first  six  months,  it  is  quite  evident 
that  a  new  high  record  will  have  been  es 
tablished. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL   ALBERTA 


61 


The  importance  of  this  industry  as  re 
lates  to  the  development  of  the  dairy  interests 
in  Alberta,  and  particularly  in  the  Edmon 
ton  district,  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the 
company  receives  shipments  of  milk  and 
cream  from  approximately  4,000  farmers. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  the  men  be 
hind  this  company  have  the  most  implicit 
confidence  in  the  continued  growth  and  ex 
pansion  of  Edmonton  and  the  Province  of 
Alberta,  and  that  their  future  operations  will 
be  continued  on  the  same  magnificent  scale 
to  meet  existing  conditions. 


PHOENIX    TAXI    &    AUTO    COM 
PANY,   LIMITED. 

630  Second  Street.     Edmonton. 

That  the  people  of  Edmonton  are  keenly 
alive  to  the  progress  of  modern  times  and 
are  ever  imbued  with  the  desire  to  take  ad 
vantage  of  improved  conditions  and  advanced 
ideas  is  manifest  in  the  kindly  spirit  in  which 
the  advent  of  the  taxicab  has  been  received 
in  recent  years.  People  coming  from  the 
larger  cities  of  the  East  are  agreeably  sur 
prised  to  find  that  rapid  transit  by  motor 
driven  vehicles  has  obtained  such  a  foothold 
here,  but  that  is  only  one  of  the  many  sur 
prises  which  Edmonton  and  the  Province  of 
Alberta  have  in  store  for  them. 

In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note 
the  phenomenal  progress  which  has  been 
made  by  the  Phoenix  Taxi  &  Auto  Com 
pany,  Limited,  which  made  its  beginning  in 
this  city  in  September,  1913. 

This  ably  managed  concern,  which  mam- 
tains  its  garage  and  office  at  No.  630  Sec 
ond  street  and  head  office  14  Jasper,  West, 
entered  the  field  with  but  two  cars,  but  the 
splendid  service  that  was  given  from  the  very 
beginning  spelled  success,  and  now,  within 
less  than  one  year's  time,  the  company  has 
in  constant  use  four  taxi  cabs  and  four  tour 
ing  cars,  the  latter  being  six-cylinder,  1914 
models  of  the  famous  Hudson  make.  In  ad 
dition  to  the  prompt  service,  day  or  night, 
the  firm  lays  particular  stress  upon  keeping 
all  of  the  cars  and  taxis  in  prime  condition, 
and  the  spick  and  span  appearance  of  the 
vehicles  naturally  appeals  to  patrons  with 
considerable  force. 


The  manager  of  the  Phoenix  Taxi  &  Auto 
Company  is  Mr.  K.  J.  Tailyour,  an  ener 
getic,  ambitious  Irishman  who  came  out  to 
this  western  country  in  1 902  and  who  is 
more  than  making  good  with  his  well  direct 
ed  efforts.  The  secretary-treasurer  of  the 
company  is  Mr.  W.  J.  Butchart,  who  comes 
originally  from  Toronto,  and  who  has  spent 
some  three  years  in  Alberta.  Both  are  men 
of  ripe  experience  in  everything  pertaining 
to  the  auto  business,  and  their  careful  at 
tention  to  details  can  only  result  in  a  con 
tinued  expansion  of  their  service  and  addi 
tions  to  their  equipment  to  meet  the  ever 
increasing  demands  from  Edmonton  people. 


STRATHCONA  BREWING  &  MAL 
TING  COMPANY,  LIMITED. 

10542    Saskatchewan    Drive.       Edmonton, 
South. 

Among  the  industrial  enterprises  of  Ed 
monton  that  have  made  phenomenal  progress 
during  the  past  few  years  is  the  Strathcona 
Brewing  &  Malting  Company,  Limited, 
brewers  and  bottlers  of  export  lager  and  por 
ter,  aerated  and  distilled  waters,  with  offices 
and  finely  equipped  plant  at  No.  10542 
Saskatchewan  Drive,  Edmonton,  South. 

This  enterprising  company  as  it  exists  to 
day,  was  formed  in  1907,  although  the 
original  brewery  was  founded  some  fifteen 
years  ago,  and  its  officers  are  Mr.  J.  P. 
Gross,  president,  who  resides  at  Wetaskiwin ; 
Mr.  Alex.  Dow,  general  manager;  Mr.  A. 
Schmid,  secretary-treasurer  and  Mr.  Fred 
Geisler,  plant  manager.  These  are  all  men 
of  wide  experience  in  the  brewing  business, 
and  the  splendid  success  they  have  attained 
has  been  due  to  well  directed  efforts  and  to 
the  adoption  of  modern,  improved  methods 
in  e;ery  detail  of  the  manufacture. 

This  magnificent  plant  is  really  a  model  in 
all  of  its  appointments,  and  represents  an  in 
vestment  of  approximately  $350,000  in  land 
and  buildings.  Shortly  after  the  company 
was  formed  a  new  structure  was  built  at  a 
cost  of  $95,000  and  in  1913-1914  a  still 
larger  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of 
$105,000. 

This  latter  building  is  devoted  mainly  to 
use  as  a  bottling  and  storage  department.  It 


162 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


covers  a  ground  space  60  x  150  feet,  and  the 
cellars  alone  have  a  storage  capacity  for 
some  15,000  barrels  of  beer. 

One-half  of  the  first  floor  is  given  over 
to  the  bottling  works,  and  the  remainder  of 
the  space  to  the  racking  off  of  beer.  The 
second  floor  contains  the  aerated  water  de 
partment,  laboratories  and  storage  rooms  for 
hops,  and  the  third  floor  comprises  the  office 
and  shipping  department. 

One  of  the  most  striking  features  in  con 
nection  with  the  equipment  of  the  brewery  is 
the  modern  conveyor  and  elevator  system 
that  has  been  installed,  and  which  greatly 
facilitates  the  handling  of  the  products  from 
one  floor  to  another,  with  an  immense  saving 
of  time  and  labor.  There  are  automatic 
machines  and  appliances  for  the  washing  of 
the  bottles,  for  the  filling  of  the  same,  the 
attaching  of  the  crown  stoppers,  labelling 
and  pasteurizing.  Then  there  is  a  unique 
piece  of  apparatus  which  is  used  for  washing 
and  cleansing  the  kegs,  and  which  seems  al 
most  human  in  the  methodical,  automatic 
manner  it  does  this  work. 

The  entire  structure  of  this  new  part  of 
the  brewery  is  of  brick  and  re-inforced  con 
crete,  the  cement  floors  being  easily  cleansed 
with  a  hose  and  especial  attention  being  paid 
to  maintaining  everything  in  a  perfect  sani 
tary  condition.  In  the  various  departments 
there  is  a  working  force  of  from  thirty-five  to 
forty  employees,  while  two  huge  motor  trucks 
and  a  half  dozen  wagons  are  required  to 
make  the  deliveries  about  town  and  to  at 
tend  to  the  shipments  that  are  made  to  the 
surrounding  territory.  This  trade  territory 
extends  for  600  miles  east  and  west  of 
Edmonton,  and  400  miles  north  and  south, 
the  company  maintaining  cold  storage  plants 
in  both  Calgary  and  Saskatoon. 

The  principal  brand  of  bottled  beer  pro 
duced  by  the  Strathcona  Brewing  &  Malting 
Company,  Limited,  is  the  "Varsity" — a 
brand  which  has  been  received  with  much 
favor  in  all  communities  where  it  has  been 
introduced.  Of  superior  quality,  too,  is  the 
porter  and  the  numerous  kinds  of  aerated 
beverages,  the  company  handling  about 
$35,000  worth  of  the  latter  each  year.  The 
output  of  the  beer  alone  ranges  from  1  7,000 
to  20,000  barrels  each  year,  there  being  a 
steady  increase  with  the  general  growth  and 
development  of  the  country. 


HENRY  C.  ULEN. 

General    Contractor — Edmonton. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  progressive  light 
in  which  the  people  of  Edmonton  view  the 
subject  of  municipal  improvements,  one  has 
only  to  refer  to  the  mammoth  trunk  drain  and 
sanitary  sewer,  ten  miles  in  length,  and  which 
is  being  constructed  at  an  approximate  cost 
of  $1,500,000.  In  casting  about  for  some 
experienced  contractor  to  whom  this  might  be 
awarded,  the  city  was  fortunate  in  securing 
the  services  of  Mr.  Henry  C.  Ulen,  of  Chi 
cago,  who  for  a  considerable  period  of  years 
has  been  engaged  in  sewer  building  in  many 
of  the  larger  cities  of  the  United  States  and 
whose  special  knowledge  in  relation  to  this 
kind  of  work  enables  him  to  handle  such 
gigantic  undertakings  to  the  best  possible  ad 
vantage. 

This  extensive  addition  to  the  sewerage 
system  of  Edmonton  begins  at  Thirteenth 
and  Nelson  streets,  and  runs  along  Sprague 
to  tenth  street  to  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific 
property;  at  Waterloo  another  contract  takes 
in  the  sewer  along  Waterloo  to  Alberta 
avenue,  to  Gerald,  and  northeast  to  King 
and  Cleave  streets;  north  on  King  to  Water 
loo  and  east  on  Cleave;  thence  northeast  on 
Edmonton  avenue  to  Gordon  street.  Still 
another  contract  awarded  to  Mr.  Ulen  is  for 
a  sewer  from  Stephen  avenue,  south-west  to 
the  slough,  and  north  from  Stephen  avenue  on 
I  wenty-third  street  to  Westminster. 

The  big  trunk  sewer  ranges  from  four  to 
six  feet  in  diameter,  is  to  be  lined  throughout 
with  concrete  blocks,  and  will  undoubtedly 
be  the  best  of  its  kind  ever  installed  within 
the  borders  of  Alberta. 

The  preparation  for  this  work  represented 
an  expenditure  of  about  $60,000  by  Mr. 
Ulen,  this  including  the  erection  of  a  big 
two-storey  lodging  house  and  dining  hall  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  two  hundred  and 
fifty  employees,  which  is  about  the  average 
number  engaged  on  the  work.  This  is  a 
long  step  in  advance  of  the  usual  methods  of 
providing  rough  shacks  or  tents  for  the  men, 
and  not  only  does  it  make  for  contentment 
on  the  part  of  the  workers,  but  illustrates  the 
progressive  ideas  which  are  characteristic  of 
Mr.  Ulen  in  all  of  his  great  undertakings. 
Mr.  Henry  C.  Ulen  is  the  president  of 
the  company  and  Mr.  J.  R.  Ulen,  his  broth 
er,  the  vice-president.  Both  are  most  favor- 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


63 


ably  impressed  with  the  splendid  develop 
ment  of  the  Canadian  West,  and  even  after 
the  completion  of  the  work  now  under  way 
they  will  undoubtedly  maintain  a  branch  of 
fice  in  this  city,  the  better  to  handle  the 
future  contracts  which  are  sure  to  come  from 
Edmonton  as  well  as  the  other  growing  com 
munities  of  this  and  the  adjoining  provinces. 


WOODLAND   DAIRY,    LIMITED. 

Dealers  in  Milk,  Cream,   Ice  Cream,   Buttei 

and    Eggs — 346    Picard    Street. 

Edmonton. 


strides  the  company  has  since  made  have 
been  due  to  superior  management  and  the 
splendid  quality  of  the  output,  which  includes 
milk,  cream,  ice  cream,  butter,  eggs,  etc.,  all 
of  which  have  such  a  steady  call  in  the  every 
day  life  of  the  people  of  this  community  and 
the  surrounding  country. 

The  quarters  occupied  by  the  Woodland 
Dairy,  Limited,  were  built  especially  for  this 
purpose,  the  structure  being  a  three-story 
brick  and  concrete  affair  with  more  than  20,- 
000  square  feet  of  floor  space  available  for 
the  several  departments  of  the  business.  1  his 
plant,  the  machinery  and  general  equipment. 


One  of  the  prime  essentials  to  the  health, 
welfare  and  happiness  of  every  community  is 
an  adequate  supply  of  dairy  products — pro 
ducts  which  are  pure  and  wholesome  and  up 
to  the  required  standard  of  excellence  in 
every  particular.  In  Edmonton  one  of  the 
most  dependable  sources  of  supply  is  in  the 
Woodland  Dairy,  Limited,  whose  finely 
equipped,  modern  plant  is  located  at  346 
Picard  street. 

This  institution  to  which  we  would  invite 
the  attention  of  the  general  public,  those  in 
all  the  walks  of  life,  was  founded  in  1912 
in  a  comparatively  small  way,  and  the  rapid 


represents    an    investment    of    approximately 
$150,000. 

There  is  an  immense  storage  room  which 
has  a  capacity  of  300,000  pounds  of  butter, 
while  the  milk  capacity  of  the  dairy  is  es 
timated  at  5,000  gallons  per  day,  not  in 
cluding  the  large  quantities  of  milk  and  cream 
that  are  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  ice 
cream. 

The  capacity  of  the  butter  room  is  1  car 
daily  and  they  are  now  manufacturing  every 
day,  5,000  pounds  of  Woodland  Dairy 
Butter.  The  capacity  of  the  ice  cream  room 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    C  IURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


is  1 ,200  gallons  per  day.     Eighty-five  people 
are  regularly  employed. 

I  hey  now  have  36  sub-stations  in  the 
country  for  the  buying  of  cream  and  eggs 
and  at  these  sub-stations  farmers  cream  is 
weighed  and  tested  before  sending  to  the 
plant. 

Every  precaution  possible  is  taken  to  pre 
vent  contamination  of  the  Woodland  pro 
ducts,  and  the  sanitary  arrangement  through 
out  the  dairy  is  such  as  to  insure  the  maximum 
degree  of  cleanliness,  as  this  well  known  con 
cern  has  an  established  reputation  for  the  put 
ting  out  of  food  products  that  are  of  un 
questioned  purity  and  wholesomenes. . 


MOUNTAIN     SPRING     BREWING 

COMPANY,  LIMITED. 

Calgary. 


1  ypical  of  this  modern  advancement  has 
been  the  rise  of  the  Mountain  Spring  Brew 
ing  Company,  Eimited,  a  concern  which 
came  into  existence  in  1912  and  which  has 
since  come  to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the 
leaders  in  its  class  for  all  of  the  western  por 
tion  of  the  Dominion.  In  the  manufacture 
and  sale  of  malt  products  of  unquestioned 
purity  and  of  a  recognized  standard  in  every 
particular  so  far  as  the  element  of  quality  i* 
concerned,  this  Mountain  Spring  Brewing 
Company,  Eimited,  has  set  an  example  which 
other  manufacturers  might  well  emulate. 

'  his  is  the  home  of  two  of  the  most  fam 
ous  brands  that  the  province  of  Alberta  has 
ever  known — the  "Silver-Spray,"  a  rich, 
amber-colored  liquid  that  is  one  of  the  very 
best  beverages  ever  concocted  by  a  judicious 
combination  of  high-grade  malt  and  hops, 
and  "Wurzburger,"  known  as  the  original 


pW^'^  "••'•!    WHSgpL 


»i»«/»-  *.-• 


^7*. . 


With  a  population  of  approximately  90,- 
000  people,  Calgary  not  only  occupies  the 
proud  position  of  being  the  metropolis  of 
Alberta,  but  is  the  largest  community  in  all 
that  vast  stretch  of  country  between  Win 
nipeg  on  the  East  and  Vancouver  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  1  he  financial,  commercial  and 
industrial  interests  of  this  growing  city  have 
kept  abreast  of  all  the  more  splendid  develop 
ment  that  has  been  characteristic  of  West 
ern  Canada  m  recent  years,  and  the  casual 
visitor  is  invariably  impressed  with  the  mar 
velous  achievements  that  have  been  accom 
plished  here  in  the  comparatively  few  years 
which  have  elapsed  since  Calgary  was  a  fron 
tier  settlement. 


Cerman  beer.  The  latter  is  a  slightly  darker 
and  somewhat  heavier  beer,  made  after  the 
same  methods  employed  in  the  brewing  of 
the  best  known  of  the  imported  brands.  Both 
are  produced  under  ideal  conditions,  as  spe 
cial  attention  has  been  paid  by  the  manage 
ment  to  the  equipping  of  the  plant  with  the 
latest  improved  mechanical  appliances  and 
machinery,  and  so  far  as  the  sanitary  con 
ditions  are  concerned  it  would  seem  that  the 
acme  of  perfection  has  been  reached. 

One  point  of  special  interest  in  connec 
tion  with  the  making  of  this  "Mountain 
Spring"  beer  is  the  fact  that  the  malt  that  is 
utilized  is  made  from  Alberta  barley.  When 
one  takes  into  consideration  the  thousands 


HISTORY    OF    THK    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CKNTRAL    ALBKRTA 


65 


upon  thousands  of  bushels  of  this  grain  that 
are  used  annually  by  this  brewery,  then  does 
one  begin  to  realize  what  an  industry  of  this 
character  means  to  the  agricultural  districts. 
Not  only  that,  but  the  firm  is  a  large  employ 
er  of  labor,  having  on  its  payroll  at  the  brew 
ery  a  force  of  50  well  paid  workers,  the  an 
nual  distribution  in  the  form  of  wages  run 
ning  well  up  into  the  thousands  of  dollars. 
The  output  of  the  brewery  amounts  to 
approximately  60,000  barrels  per  year,  this 
being  put  out  in  both  the  keg  and  bottled 
form,  as  one  of  the  important  adjuncts  of 
the  plant  is  an  up-to-date  bottling  works. 
Not  only  is  it  disposed  of  at  wholesale  to 
the  hotels  and  liquor  dealers  and  to  the  large 
family  trade  which  has  been  built  up  in 
Calgary,  but  the  "Silver-Spray"  and  "Wurz- 
burger''  are  shipped  in  large  quantities  to 
oul  of  town  points  throughout  all  of  the  ter 
ritory  covered  by  Calgary  in  its  ever  increas 
ing  wholesale  operations. 


ALBERTA   PACIFIC   GRAIN   COM 
PANY,   LIMITED. 
Head  Office,   Calgary. 

When  one  pauses  to  contemplate  the 
magnitude  of  the  grain  growing  operations 
in  the  prairie  provinces  he  is  lost  in  a  bewil 
dering  maze  of  figures  of  startling  propor 
tions — startling  because  of  the  brief  period  of 
years  which  has  elapsed  since  the  agricultural 
development  of  this  vast  region  really  first 
began.  Last  year  the  approximate  yield  of 
grain  in  Alberta,  Saskatchewan  and  Mani 
toba  was  about  200,000,000  bushels,  and 
for  1914  the  prospects  would  indicate  even 
greater  returns,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
the  farmers  are  each  year  turning  their  at 
tention  more  and  more  to  mixed  farming. 

In  1900  in  Alberta  there  were  but  30,- 
361  acres  of  grain  harvested.  Last  year  the 


ELEVATOR  AT  CEREAL,  ALTA. 

One  of  the   140  Elevators  of  the  Alberta  Pacific  Grain  Conrpanv,  Limited. 


166 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


official  figures  show  that  1,077,299  acres 
had  been  devoted  to  gram  alone — an  increase 
of  considerable  magnitude.  When  it  is 
shown  that  Alberta  has  a  total  area  of  260,- 
000  square  miles,  of  which  1  72,000  square 
miles  are  adapted  to  agriculture,  it  may  readi 
ly  be  seen  that  there  are  still  millions  of  acres 
waiting  for  the  plough. 

After  the  sowing  comes  the  reaping  and 
the  threshing,  and  then  the  marketing,  but 
after  delivering  the  grain  at  the  railroad  or 
elevator,  the  fanner's  responsibility  ends,  and 
the  work  at  this  point  is  taken  up  by  such 
representative  concerns  as  the  Alberta  Pa 
cific  Grain  Company,  Limited,  whose  head 
offices  are  at  Calgary,  with  branches  in  Win 
nipeg  and  Vancouver. 

This  sterling  grain  company,  which  was 
founded  in  1903,  makes  a  specialty  of  hand 
ling  consignments  of  grain  on  commission  as 
well  as  purchasing  the  grain  outright  upon 
its  delivery  in  cars  on  track  at  any  point  in 
Western  Canada,  and  its  annual  volume  of 
business  runs  into  the  millions  of  bushels. 
Throughout  Alberta  and  the  neighboring 
provinces  the  company  maintains  as  many  as 
140  grain  elevators  of  an  average  capacity 
of  30,000  thousand  bushels,  so  that  so  far 
as  its  facilities  for  handling  grain  on  a  large 
scale  are  concerned  its  facilities  are  unsur 
passed. 

The  officers  and  directors  of  the  Alberta 
Pacific  Grain  Company,  Limited,  comprise 
Mr.  Nicholas  Bawlf,  president,  Winnipeg; 
Mr.  John  I.  McFarland,  vice-president  and 
manager,  Calgary;  Messrs.  P.  Burns  and 
R.  B.  Bennett,  Calgary  and  Mr.  D.  R. 
Ker,  Victoria. 

All  the  above  are  gentlemen  who  have 
attained  eminence  in  the  financial  and  indus 
trial  circles  of  the  Canadian  West  and  whose 
connection  with  a  concern  of  this  character  is 
the  best  evidence  as  to  its  stability  and  its 
ability  to  meet  every  obligation  and  carry 
out  in  detail  the  terms  of  every  contract  en 
tered  into  as  relates  to  the  handling  of  con 
signments  of  grain.  It  is  essentially  a  home 
enterprise  that  is  in  every  way  worthy  of 
Calgary  and  the  province  of  Alberta  and  one 
in  which  the  grain  growers  repose  the  utmost 
confidence. 


CALGARY  BREWING  &  MALTING 
COMPANY,  LIMITED. 

Calgary. 

I  he  phenomenal  growth  which  has  taken 
place  throughout  Alberta  during  the  past 
decade  in  particular  has  been  especially  ap 
parent  in  Calgary,  where  some  wonderful 
strides  have  been  made  by  the  financial,  com 
mercial  and  industrial  interests  that  are  here 
represented.  The  fact  that  the  community 
now  has  a  population  of  close  on  to  100,000 
gives  some  indication  of  the  remarkable  ad 
vancement  that  has  been  made,  and  of  the 
ever  increasing  importance  of  the  local  field 
as  a  market  for  the  products  which  are  man 
ufactured  right  here  in  the  provincial  metro 
polis. 

One  of  the  older  and  more  firmly  estab 
lished  of  these  industrial  concerns  which  has 
won  a  national  reputation  for  the  superior 
quality  of  its  lines  of  manufacture  is  the 
Calgary  Brewing  &  Malting  Company,  Lim 
ited.  This  immense  brewery,  which  was 
founded  in  1  892  has  made  such  substantial 
progress  in  the  manufacture  of  malt  products 
that  the  fame  of  "Calgary  beer,"  its  prin 
cipal  brand,  extends  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific,  and  throughout  the  Western  pro 
vinces  there  is  scarcely  a  community  where 
this  standard  brew  is  not  to  be  obtained. 
I  he  leading  hotels  and  liquor  houses  have 
long  since  become  cognizant  of  its  intrinsic 
worth,  and  of  its  purity  and  general  excel 
lence,  and  the  only  difficulty  the  company 
has  thus  far  experienced  has  been  in  produc 
ing  a  sufficient  amount  to  supply  the  demand. 
While  the  brewery's  facilities  are  such  that 
it  could  manufacture  considerably  more  than 
it  does  each  year,  its  policy  of  thoroughly 
aging  the  output  before  putting  it  on  the  mar 
ket  is  rigidly  adhered  to,  and  as  everybody 
knows,  this  is  one  of  the  secrets  of  produc 
ing  a  beverage  rich  in  flavor  and  satisfying 
in  every  particular. 

Thousands  of  bushels  of  barley  are  used 
every  year  by  the  company  in  the  making  of 
the  malt  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  beer, 
and  this  fact  alone  is  sufficient  to  commend 
the  enterprise  to  the  serious  consideration  and 
attention  of  the  grain  farmers  of  Alberta. 
Then,  too,  the  fact  that  the  company  has  in 
its  employ  a  large  force  of  competent  workers 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


67 


means  the  distribution  of  an  annual  payroll 
of  large  proportions.  These  are  features 
which  combine  to  make  this  home  enterprise, 
backed  by  home  business  men  and  home 
capital,  one  that  is  certainly  worthy  the  sup 
port  of  all  classes  in  every  community. 

The  annual  output  of  "Calgary"  beer  by 
the  Calgary  Brewing  &  Malting  Company, 
Limited,  is  in  the  neighborhood  of  100,000 
barrels  in  the  keg  as  well  as  in  the  bottled 
form,  and  this  is  not  only  disposed  of  m  Cal 


gary,  but  throughout  Alberta  and  the  neigh 
boring  provinces  where  breweries  of  this  mag 
nitude  are  an  unknown  quantity.  This  fam 
ous  brand  of  beer  has  probably  done  more  to 
spread  abroad  in  the  land  the  name  and  fame 
of  Calgary  than  any  other  single  agency  that 
can  be  mentioned,  and  that  the  long  and 
prosperous  career  of  the  Calgary  Brewing  & 
Malting  Company,  Limited,  is  destined  to  be 
more  than  duplicated  in  the  years  to  come 
is  a  foregone  conclusion. 


Interior   Vieiv,  Jackson  Bros.,   China  Depi.,    1914.      Edmonton,   Alia. 


68 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


PANORAMA  OF  BUSINESS  SECTION   OF   EDMONTON 


EDMONTON 


PRESENT  AND  PROSPECTIVE 

B\)   Ccorgc  M.    Hall,    Industrial   Commissioner. 


EDMON  1  ON — the  city  present  and  the  city  prospective — is  a  highly  interesting 
proposition.  A  few  years  ago  a  small  trading  post,  an  outfitting  point  for  trap 
pers,  and  prospectors  of  a  wild  and  unknown  Northwest,  Edmonton  is  today  a  city 
well  equipped  with  modern  appliances  for  trade,  commerce  and  industries,  and  well  found 
in  those  things  that  go  to  make  a  city  of  home  comforts.  So  lately  as  1901,  Edmonton 
had  only  3,167  people;  the  card  census  of  May  1914,  showed  a  population  of  72,516. 
Edmonton  has  grown  faster  than  any  city  in  North  America  in  the  same  period  of  time. 

At  the  same  time,  Edmonton's  growth  has  been  solid,  substantial  in  every  respect; 
its  buildings  are  of  sound  construction;  its  streets  are  well  laid  out  and  paved;  its  civic 
government  is  based  upon  proper  principles  and  is  generally  administered  with  a  high 
degree  of  efficiency. 

Edmonton  is  strong  in  municipal  ownership.  The  city  owns  and  operates  its  street 
railway,  power  plant,  and  water  works  system;  has  a  public  parks  system  that  embraces 
an  area  of  801  acres  and  more  than  two  hundred  acres  to  be  devoted  to  industrial  sites, 
leased  on  long  terms  and  at  low  rental  cost,  to  new  industries.  Edmonton  also  employs 
single  tax  and  a  modified  form  of  civic  government  by  commissioners.  A  plan  for  a  cim- 
mission  form  of  government,  with  referendum  and  recall,  will  be  submitted  for  the  vote 
of  the  people  some  time  during  1914. 

The  following  comparative  figures  show  something  of  how  Edmonton  has  made 
headway  under  its  plan  of  conducting  civic  business: 

Building  permits,    1905,    $702,724;    for    1913,    $9,242,450. 
Property    assessment,     1905.     $6,620,985;    1913,    $187,941,920. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBKRTA 


There  are  twenty-six  chartered  banks  and  branches  in   Edmonton   and  bank  clear- 
ing  figures  show  these  increases:    1908,  $38,484,496;    for    1913,   $213,053,319, 

Passengers  earned  on  street  cars:  1  9  1  1 ,  6,296,824 ;  earned  in  1913,  17,208,487. 
Edmonton  has  excellent  public  schools.  These  are  housed  in  thirty-seven  build.ngs, 
nearly  all  of  them  modern  and  well-equipped,  and  follow  approved  educational  lines  from 
primary  to  collegiate  grades.  There  are  four  good  schools  for  higher  education— the 
University  of  Alberta,  Robertson  Presbyterian  College,  the  Oblate  Fathers  College  and 
Alberta  College,  with  an  excellent  preparatory  school  in  the  Westward  Ho!  School  for 
Boys.  The  Alberta  College  and  McTavish  Business  College  give  complete  business 
courses  of  instruction.  There  are  also  seven  separate  schools  and  the  Roman  Catholic 
and  Ruthenian  colleges. 

There  are  fifty-three  churches  in  Edmonton,  including  all  regular  denominations. 
Amusement  features  are  presented  by  three  theatres  and  a  number  of  moving  picture 
houses. 

Edmonton  has  coal  beds  containing  60,000  million  tons  of  coal  directly  under  the 
city.  Thirty  mines  are  operated  and  coal  is  sold  as  low  as  75  cents  a  ton  for  steam 
purposes  and  for  $4.00  a  ton  for  domestic  use. 

Three  great  railway  systems  center  on  Edmonton— the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific,  the 
Canadian  Pacific  and  the  Canadian  Northern  and  the  city  is  also  the  chief  central  point 
of  the  Edmonton,  Yukon  and  Pacific  Railway,  the  Dunvegan,  Peace  River  and  British 
Columbia  Railway,  and  the  Alberta  and  Northwestern  Railway.  These  roads  are 
under  construction  or  soon  to  be.  Twenty-eight  passenger  trains  run  to  and  from  E 
monton  daily. 

Edmonton  is  the  capital  of  Alberta,  a  province  with  an  area  of  253,540  square 
miles.  New  Parliament  buildings  were  recently  completed  at  a  cost  of  $3,000,0( 

The  country  about  Edmonton  is  very  rich  in  agricultural  and  other  resources,  only 
partly  developed.  Ready  market  and  good  prices  for  farm  products  are  had  at  Ed 
monton  the  year  round. 

At  present,    four  railways   are  building   into   the   Peace    River  Valley    and   country 
north  and  west  of  Edmonton.     This  land  contains  40,000,000  acres  of  land  and  bound 
less  resources  of  minerals,  timber,  natural  gas,  water  power  and  cattle  ranges. 

All  of  this  goes  to  make  Edmonton  a  highly  desirable  place  to  live  and  a  vantage 
point  for  carrying  on  business.     Edmonton  has  made  much  progress  as  a  railway,  business 
and   trade  center   and   is   doing   excellently    as   an   industrial    point    in   what   is,    as   yet,    a 
comparatively  small  way.      But  the  advantage  of  being  from  two  thousand  to  five  thou: 
and  miles  nearer  the  great  market  of  Western  Canada,  than  any  industrial  city  of  com 
manding   consequence,    will    tell    heavily    in   the   scale   of   desirability    as   a   manufacture 
point     for  Edmonton.      The  course  of  the  empire  of  industrial   growth  is  taking  i 
westward  at  a  rapid  rate  and  there  is  no  city  better  fitted   for  its  seat  of  Governr 
the   West    than    Edmonton. 


69 


70  HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


Louis  ARSENAULT 


[  N  every  community  within  the  Province  of  Alberta  are  to  be  found  representative  men 
of  affairs  who  have  performed  valiant  service  in  the  upbuilding  and  development  of 
this  section  of  the  Canadian  West  in  recent  years.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  city  of 
Edmonton,  and  among  those  worthy  of  more  than  passing  notice  in  these  columns  than 
Mr.  Louis  Arsenault,  real  estate  and  financial  broke,  with  offices  at  301  C.  P.  R. 
Building. 

Although  Mr.  Arsenault  was  born  at  Lewiston,  Maine,  U.S.A.,  on  July  4,  1880. 
he  has  spent  all  of  his  life  within  the  borders  of  the  Dominion.  He  was  educated  at 
Nicolet  Seminary,  Quebec,  and  in  April  1904  came  west  to  Edmonton,  Alberta.  For 
a  time  he  was  employed  by  Messrs.  Gariepy  and  Lessard,  and  then  as  a  book-keeper 
by  Kenneth  McKenzie  &  Company,  of  Edmonton,  and  in  1905  was  manager  of  the 

Richelieu  Hotel.  Erom  1906  10  1910  Mr. 
Arsenault  was  employed  as  a  clerk  in  the 
Dominion  Lands  Office,  and  upon  resigning 

i     .  .     . 

this  position  it  was  to  engage  in  the  present 
business  on  his  own  account 

In  the  handling  of  real  estate,  Mr.  Arse 
nault  not  only  deals  in  Edmonton  city  pro 
perty,  bul  in  Alberta,  Saskatchewan  and 
British  Columbia  farm  lands  as  well,  and 
also  in  Coal  and  Timber  Lands  and  in  this 
line  of  endeavor  has  been  remarkably  suc 
cessful.  Not  only  does  he  act  as  the  agent 
for  others  in  the  making  of  financial  invest 
ments,  but  has  also  had  sufficient  confidence 
in  the  future  of  this  region  to  make  many  in 
vestments  on  his  own  account.  Aside  from 
this  business  Mr.  Arsenault  was  one  of  the 
proprietors  of  the  Corona  Hotel  Company, 
Limited,  of  Edmonton  in  the  beginning  of 
1912  and  sold  out  in  June  of  the  same  year. 
In  the  past  few  years  Mr.  Arsenault  has  traveled  a  great  deal  throughout  the 
western  country  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  more  experience  and  general  information  per 
taining  to  the  country.  In  1911  he  made  an  extended  trip  through  the  famous  Peace  River 
country  and  in  1912  he  visited  throughout  Washington,  Idaho  and  Montana  and  other 
Western  States.  The  latter  part  of  1913  and  the  beginning  of  I  9  1  4  he  made  an  extended 
trip  through  North  Dakota,  Minnesota,  Wisconsin  and  Illinois.  He  has  made  a  number 
of  other  trips  over  Western  Canada  which  have  given  him  a  personal  knowledge  which  is 
great  value  to  investors. 

In  the  advancement  of  both  city  and  province,  Mr.  Arsenault  has  always  taken  a 
lively,  active  interest  in  civic  and  political  affairs  and  has  repeatedly  demonstrated  that 
he  is  one  of  the  public-spirited  men  of  the  times — a  splendid  example  of  the  type  of  men 
who  are  today  making  history  in  Alberta. 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    C  HURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


71 


Ill     WJ'  '""      iff '  *>* 

W  5^3  f i  I B  fl  H  B  B  SH  J' "  Hi  Hi  tt 

^illJllJjlBHljSMiBlIji 


im  »r  :in  jui  jiu  ur 


BJii   it 
HBlffSfJi^ 

^«v*^"<'      .^— — - 


]u*  ur  Tm  mi,       "    f -J      '— -<,t 


REVILLION   FRERES  TRADING  CCMPANY  LIMITED. 

FOURTH  STREET  AND  ATHABASCA  AVENUE,   EDMONTON. 

Established  in  Paris,  France,  in  1723,  the  Revillon  Freres  Trading  Company,  Limited, 
takes  ranks  as  one  of  the  world's  oldest  commercial  enterprises — the  only  company  of 
the  kind,  in  fact,  that  has  proven  a  most  formidable  competitor  of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Com 
pany  in  this  great  Northwest  country. 

Back  in  the  early  days  of  its  existence,  this  immense  fur  trading  company  was  one  of 
the  first  to  send  men  into  remote  and  well-nigh  inaccesible  regions  where  the  fur  bearing 
animals  abounded,  and  in  the  course  of  time  it  naturally  followed  that  a  trading  post 
should  be  established  here  in  Edmonton,  when  this  was  but  a  tiny  outpost,  far  beyond 
the  reaches  of  civilization.  As  the  country  grew  and  developed  the  Revillon  Brothers 
steadily  kept  pace  with  the  general  progress  of  the  country,  and  its  representatives  were 
scon  to  be  found  in  every  community  of  importance  in  this  Canadian  West. 

Nowadays  the  operations  of  the  Revillon  Freres  Trading  Company,  Limited,  extends 
north  into  the  farthest  reaches  of  the  Arctic  wilds;  south  as  far  as  Olds;  east  to  Lloyd- 
minster  and  west  to  the  Pacific  coast.  In  addition  to  the  Edmonton  house,  branches  are 
also  maintained  in  this  district  at  Athabasca,  Grouard.  Peace  River  Crossing,  Dunvegan, 
Spirit  River,  Grand  Prairie,  Sturgeon  Lake,  Fort  St.  John,  Hudson's  Hope.  Fort  Vermil 
ion  and  Wabasca  .  At  all  of  these  points  the  company  dees  an  enormous  business  in 
trat'ficing  in  furs,  and  to  their  big  warehouses  come  the  skins  of  the  seal,  beaver,  martin, 
mink,  otter,  wolf,  ermine,  muskrat,  fox  and  skunk.  These  are  in  turn  disposed  of  at 
wholesale,  finding  their  way  to  the  largest  fur  manufacturing  concerns  on  the  glebe. 

This  expansion  of  the  fur  trading  business  naturally  led  to  the  firm's  branching  out 
as  a  wholesale  dealer  in  merchandise  of  every  description,  this  line  of  trade  being  carried 
on  under  the  firm  name  of  Revillon  Wholesale,  with  headquarters  in  a  mammoth  concrete, 
fireproof  warehouse  erected  two  years  ago  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  street  and  Athabasca 
avenue.  Here,  also  the  Revillon  Freres  Trading  Company,  Limited,  maintains  its 
offices,  and  there  is  available  fcr  use  in  the  six  floors  of  the  building  a  total  floor  space 
of  approximately  153,000  square  feet— more  than  three  and  one-half  acres. 

The  head  office  of  Revillon  Freres  Trading  Company.  Limited,  is  at  Montreal,  and  the 
president  is  Mr.  Leon  Revillon.  His  son,  Mr.  J.  M.  Revillon,  is  president  of  Revillon. 
Wholesale,  and  has  the  general  management  of  all  of  Revillon  Freres  foreign  business. 
For  a  considerable  length  of  time  he  was  also  manager  of  the  Edmonton  business  as  well, 
but  this,  so  far  as  the  trading  company  is  concerned,  now  devolves  on  Mr.  John  Keith, 
who  is  the  superintendent  for  the  entire  Edmonton  district.  Mr.  Keith  has  long  been 
associated  with  the  firm,  and  his  wide  knowledge  of  the  entire  Northwest  well  quail 
his  to  fill  such  a  responsible  position  in  a  most  capable  manner. 


72 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


WALTER  RAMSAY 


WHOLESALE  AND  RETAIL  FLORIST— 916  VICTORIA  AVE.,  Edmonton. 

THERE  is  no  better  example  of  the  splendid  success  which  may  be  attained  by  well- 
directed  eflorts  in  this  western  country  and  especially  in  the  central  portion  of 
Alberta  than  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Walter  Ramsay,  wholesale  and  retail  florist,  whose 
magnificent  greenhouses  on  Victoria  Avenue  represent  the  outgrowth  of  a  comparatively 
modest  beginning. 

It  was  eight  years  ago  that  Mr.  Ramsay  first  started  this  business  which  has  de 
veloped  into  such  splendid  proportions,  and  the  careful  attention  he  has  devoted  to  the 
work  has  made  him  the  acknowledged  leader  in  the  production  of  flowering  plants,  palms, 
lerns  and  other  greenhouse  products.  I  oday  he  has  fifty  thousand  square  feet  under 
glass,  and  besides  providing  amply  for  his  own  large  retail  trade  sells  a  large  quantity  of 
cut  flowers  and  plants  to  other  dealers  not  so  fortunate  in  the  possession  of  greenhouses 
and  other  equipment  so  essential  to  the  propagation  of  nature's  delicate  products  in  this 
northern  latitude.  In  the  several  departments  of  his  business  Mr.  Ramsay  gives  employ 
ment  to  a  force  of  20  skilled  assistants  and  has  every  facility  for  the  filling  of  all  orders, 
large  or  small,  in  most  satisfactory  manner.  His  stock  includes  all  kinds  of  choice  cut 
flowers  and  every  variety  suitable  for  the  making  of  floral  designs  for  weddings,  funer 
als,  dinner  parties  and  social  functions  in  general,  together  with  rare  and  beautiful  potted 
plants  for  private  conservatories  or  home  decoration. 

Mr.  Ramsay  came  originally  from  Ontario,  where  he  prepared  himself  for  the  pro 
fession  of  teaching.  This  he  followed  in  his  native  province  for  eight  years,  coming  to 
Edmonton  in  1898  and  serving  as  principal  of  the  Edmonton  public  schools  for  seven 
years,  or  until  1905.  The  next  year  he  branched  out  as  a  florist,  to  which  occupation 
he  has  since  devoted  the  major  portion  of  his  attention.  Aside  from  this,  Mr. 
Ramsay  is  the  president  of  the  Riverview  Land  Company  and  a  director  of  the  Western 
Land  Company,  and  has  acquired  the  ownership  of  many  valuable  realty  holdings  in 
Edmonton  and  vicinity.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Public  School  Board  since  1909  and 
chairman  of  the  Board  since  1912, 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBF.RTA 


73 


Dmin-  Room,   Steamer  Nasookm.     Operating    on    Kootenay    Lake    Service,    Canadian 
Pacific    Railway,    between    Nelson   and    Kootenay    Landing. 


c         u;«™ 


steamer    Nasookm.      Operating    on    Kootenay    Lake    Service,    Canadian 
icific    Railway,   bet'weew   Nelson  and    Kootenay    Landing. 


74 


HISTORY    OF    THE    CATHOLIC    CHURCH    IN    CENTRAL    ALBERTA 


JACKSON  BROTHERS 

Jewelers,  235  Jasper  Ave.,  East  EcJmonton 

The  fact  that  Edmonton  has  developed  into  a  city 
of  such  commercial  and  industrial  importance  is  largely 
because  of  the  fact  that  such  sterling  firms  as  Jaskson 
Brothers,  the  leading  jewelers,  have  had  the  wisdom  to 
make  their  establishment  here  in  the  past,  and  who 
have  been  confident  in  their  belief  that  this  city  would 
develop  into  a  community  with  metropolitan  aspirations. 
The  strides  chat  have  been  made  in  recent  years  only 
go  to  strengthen  this  confidence,  and  those  early  day 
pioneers  who  first  put  the  town  of  Edmonton  on  the 
map  builded  better  than  they  knew. 

Back  in  1886.  when  Edmonton  was  only  an  ob 
scure  trading  post,  a  modest  little  jewelry  store  was 
opened  here  by  Mr.  E.  Raymer.  As  the  town  grew,  so 
did  the  store,  and  finally  when  the  proprietor  retired  in 
1905.  lie  disposed  of  the  eld  established  business  to 
Jackson  Brothers,  of  Toronto,  the  present  owners  of 
the  enterprise  which  has  enjoyed  such  a  marvelous 
growth.  t  ne  of  the  most  striking  features  of  the  firm's 
expansion  was  in  the  erection  of  their  magnificent  build 
ing  at  No.  ;35  Jasper  avenue,  East — a  structure  which 
not  only  serves  the  purpose  cf  a  retail  store  but  of  a 
manufacturing  establishment  as  well.  This  building 
alone  represents  an  investment  of  something  like  $250,- 
CCO,  and  is  really  one  of  the  show  places  of  the  city. 

In  addition  to  the  immense  stock  of  jewelry  of 
every  description  the  firm  gives  steady  employment  to 
six  jewelers  in  its  manufacturing  department.  It  em 
ploys  eight  watchmakers;  three  engravers  and  a  full 
stall  of  salesmen  together  with  the  employees  in  the 
copper  plate  printing  department. 

Jackson  Brothers  pay  particular  attention  to  the 
mounting  of  diamonds  and  other  precious  gems,  and 


tlie     manufacture     of     trophies, 
c.,     for     exhibition     and     athletic 


1914 


have  every  facility  for 
shields,  medals,  cups,  et 
events. 

The  immense  stcck  also  embraces  a  superb  collec- 
ticn  of  cut  glass  and  silverware,  and  the  display  of 
China  is  unequaled  by  any  store  west  of  Toronto. 

The  individual  members  of  the  firm  are  Mr.  W.  J. 
Jackson,  Mr.  J.  A.  Jackson  and  Mr.  H.  A.  Jackson,  all 
cf  whom  have  had  years  of  practical  experience  in  dif 
ferent  branches  of  the  jewelry  trade. 


Interior  View,  Jaclfson  Bros.,  1914 


Head  Office  14  JASPER   ST.,   next  to  Selkirk  Garage  &  Office  630  SECOND  ST 

Phone   2525  Phone   6262 

Phoenix  Taxi  and  Auto  Co.  Limited 


Edmonton,   Alta. 


The  Largest  and  Best  Equipped  Auto  Livery  in  Western 
Canada.  Taxicab  Service  Surpassed  by  None.  ::  ::  :: 
Finest  6  Cylinder  Hudson  Cars  in  Our  Livery. 


FOR    A    REAL    PLEASURE    TRIP    OR    QUICK    TAXI    SERVICE 

Call  "Phoenix"  Phone  2525 


PHONE  1327  F'HONE  6720 

-HALLIER  &   ALDRIDGE- 


THE  STORE  OF  QUALITY' 


BAKERS,  CONFECTIONERS, 
GROCERS,  FRUITERS,  ETC. 


Mothers  &read  a  Specialty  Only  the  fQest  Qoods  Handled 

We  Guarantee  Everything    We  Sell 

223  JASPER  AVE,  EAST  EDMONTON,  ALTA, 


HOTEL  SELKIRK 


EDMONTON'S      NEW      HOTEL 

European   Plan,    Rates  $1.50,  $2.50  Per  Day 
EXCELLENT     DINING    ROOM     AND  GRILL,     SEATING     ONE     HUNDRED 

Hotel  Sell(irl(  occupies  a  commanding  site  in  the  very  heart  of  things  at  Jasper 
Avenue  and  First  Street,  the  commercial,  financial  anil  business  centre  of  Edmon 
ton.  It  is  Tvilhin  a  fet>  minutes'  rvallf  of  the  principal  hanlfs,  s/ores,  offices,  theatres 
and  railway  stations.  It  is  equipped  throughout  n>ith  the  most  modern  and  approved 
conveniences. 


ROBERT  MCDONALD, 


Proprietor 


YALE  HOTEL 

Rates  $1.00,    $1.50  Per  T)oy  European  Wan 


Electric    Fixtures    For    The    Home 
Or  Store   Our  Specialty 


Besides   We  Sell 

The  Famous  Hughes  Electric   Range  Electric    Washing   Machines 

Electric  Vacuum  Cleaners,      Irons.      Toasters,      Hot  Plates 

And  Many  Other    Useful    Articles    that  are 

Great  Labor    Savers. 


OUR    PRICES    ARE    RIGHT 

You  Can  Buy  At  Home  and  Save  Money 


Burnham-Frith  Elec.  Co.,  Ltd. 

10170-IOOth  Street  Edmonton,   Alia. 


BANQUE    D'HOCHELAGA 


Head  Office: 


MONTREAL 


AUTHORIZED   CAPITAL 
CAPITAL  PAID  UP   . 


.$  4,000,000 
.     4,000,000 


RESERVE  FUND   $  3,625,000 

TOTAL  ASSETS   (Nov.  30th,    1913)...  31,874,709 

DIRECTORS: 


President:    J.    A.    VAILLANCOURT,  Esq 

Directors:     Messrs.     A.     TURCOTTE,  Hon  M 

WILSON,      E.    H.    LEMAY,  A.    A     LA-' 
ROCQUE,     A.    W.    BONNER. 


Vice    President:    Hon.    F.    L.    BEIQUE. 
General    Manager:    Mr.    BEAUDRY    LEMAN. 
Manager    of    Chief    Office:    Mr.    F.    G.    LEDUC 
Inspector:    Mr.    YVON    LAMARRE. 

-.-was  incorporated  May  3rd,  1873,  with  an  authorized  capital  of 
$1,000  COO.  Its  firs.  President  was  Hon.  Louis  Tourville,  who  was  succeeded  by  Messrs.  F.  X.  St. 
Charles,  Hon.  J.  D.  Rolland  and  J.  A.  Vaillancourt,  in  1912. 

paid    up    capital    of    $4,000,000,    and    Reserve    Fund    of    $3,625  000     the    BANQUE 
stands     forth  among    the    leadmg    Banks    of    Canada.       The     following     comparative 
statement    shows    its    steady    progress    since    its    foundation:  — 


Year 

1874 
1884 
1894 
1904 
1913 


Capital     Paid     Up. 

$  393,070 

703,240 

710,100 

2,000,000 

4,000,000 


Reserve     Fund 

$      1 5,000 

50,000 

270,000 

1,200,000 

3,625,000 


Deposits. 

£      252,120 

426,255 

5,229,036 

8,847,866 

20,105,622 


Assets. 

$   1,021,096 

1,633,882 

6,942,138 

14,375,184 

31,874,709 


BRANCHES:   1S82,   2.— 1X5)3,   7.— 1903,    17.— 1910.   35.— 1914,   90. 
Branches    in    Alberta:     EDMONTON,       ST.    ALBERT,       ST.    PAUL    DES    METIS. 

EDMONTON  OFFICE:  Corner  Third  St.  and  Jasper  Ave.  ALEX     LEFORT,  Manager 


Furs  For  All 


Quality  the 
Finest 

Sfy/es  the 
Latest 

Prices  Most 
Moderate 

We  sell  Readu-madt  Furs,  or 

make  up  from  the  rav>  furs  to 

suit  special  laslei 

Repairs    and   Alterations 


The  Alexander-Hilpert  Fur  to.  Ltd. 

Phone  4094 
McLean  Block  609  Jasper  Ave. 


Pure  Natural  Ice 


PHONE  1220 


Arctic  Ice  Company  Ltd. 


OFFICE:- 

Main  Phone   5555 
Farney  Truck  Co.  Bldg. 


OFFICE:- 

Phone  2544 
554  First  Street 


Farney  Truck  Co.  Ltd. 

In  Co-Operation  with  the 

City  Messenger  &  Express  Co. 


Messengers  on  Wheels,  Bills  and  Posters  De 
livered  Motor  Express,  Light  and  Heavy 
Delivery,  Contract  Rates  to  Merchants,  Stor 
age  Warehouse,  Teams  for  Hire  by  the 
Day,  Week  or  Month.  ::  ::  :: 

PIANOS  AND  SAFES  MOVED 


Dennie  V.  Farney, 


Lt  Proprietor  J 

1    Edmonton, 


STORAGE  &  STABLES: 

Phone  2022 
465  First  Street 


RESIDENCE:  - 

Phone  5353 
Farney  Truch  Co. 


Canada    Permanent    Mortgage 
Corporation 

Corporation  Building,  McDongall  Ave. 

EDMONTON,  ALTA. 


Total   Assets  531,826,618 

DEPOSITS     RECEIVED 

4'r'    Interest   Allowed     on     Savings    Accounts 
Money    to    Lend     at    Lowest    Current    Rates 


Phone   1522 


W.  T.  CREIGHTON,    Manager 


The 

Alberta  Granite,  Marble  & 
Stone  Co.  Ltd. 


Manufacturers  of 

Granite,  Marble  &  Stone 

Monuments 

Copings 

and 
Candy  Slabs 


Corner  First  and   Clark    Streets 

EDMONTON, 

ALTA. 


From  1884  Our  Birthday 


To  1914  Our  Thirtieth  Birthday 


E.  N.  Moyer  Co.,  Ltd. 

Established  1884 

Canada's  School  Furnishers 

A  FEW  OF  OUR  CUSTOMERS— Edmonton 
Jesuit  College,  St.  John's  College,  Calgary  Separate 
Schools,  Edmonton  Separate  Schools,  Edmonton 
Public  Schools. 

Red    Deer,    Trochu,    Lethbridge,    Camrose. 

ASK  THEM 

A  FEW  OF  OUR  LINES— New  Empire  Desks, 
Harvard  Desks,  Moulthrop  Chairs,  Teachers'  Desks, 
Steel  Desks,  New  Empire,  Maps  and  Globes,  Genu 
ine  Hyloplate  Blackboard,  Moyer's  Clean  Air  Sys 
tem  of  Heating  and  Ventilating. 

NOT    BETTER    THAN    THE    BEST 
BUT    BETTER    THAN    THE    REST 

ESABLISHED    1884 

TORONTO         EDMONTON         WINNIPEG 

MANUFACTURERS  PUBLISHERS 

IMPORTERS 

McKENNEY  BUILDING, 

665— 104th    Street.  (Formerly    4th    St.) 

EDMONTON,  ALTA.  Telephone  4828 

We  solicit  your  patronage   for   SUPPLIES   AND 
FURNITURE,    for    Public    and    Separate    Schools, 
High  Schools,   Colleges   and   Convents. 
WRITE    FOR   CATALOGUE    AND    PRICES 


ET- US-HELP 

'YOU  »BUILD* 
YOUR -NOME- 

EWi^LL 


DE5IGMED  £  BUILT  BY  US,  HOUSE  DESIGNS   FREE 


MANUFACTURERS  AND  DEALERS  IN 

PMOP1E    9237  TD][eT    PHOhE  31535   ^ 

249   WILSON   STREET  !:   SOUTH  SIDE  YARD 


ALBERTA  SCHOOL  SUPPLY  COMPANY 


EDMONTON 


ALBERTA 


(2) 


(3) 


(6) 
(7) 


We  carry    the   only    complete   slock    in    ihe    province,    of    School    equipment    includin«    "Preston    Ball- 
Acme    Plate      Blackboard.      These   supplies    are    in    use    in    Camrose    Lutheran 
College,    Alberta    Provincial    University    and    ihe    Government    Agricultural    Collects    in    Olds 
i          Claresholm.      Complete   stock   m   our   Edmonton   warehouse.      Prompt   delivery   guaranteed. 
A  great  many  <      the  largest .debentures  issued   in  Alberta  are  purchased   by  us.      During'   1913,  bonds 
amounting    to    over   $3,000,000.00    (Three    Million)    passed    ihrouqh    our    office.      Wn.e    us    con- 
cernmg    any    issue    you    have    for    sale. 

We    bond    Treasurers    of    S.D.,    L.I  D      Rural    Municipalities,    e.c,    being    agents    for    .he    "London 
Guarantee   &   Accident   Co.,    Ltd.,      ihe   strongest    concern    in    the   world.      Rales    sent   on    request 
\Ve    msure   Schools     etc      at    the   lowest    rates    and    g,ve    a    liberal    policy.      Write    for    rates. 
We    supply    the      Hero      Ventilating    Room    Heaters   which    are    recognified    ihe    best    on    the    market. 

Dtock    in    Kdmcnlcn    ready    for    shipping. 

We    supply    complete    plans    and    specifications    for    any    sine    of    school    desired. 

We   sell    the      F  arkyte      Sanitary   Closels,    especially    adapled    for    Towns    and    Villages    that    have    no 
sewer    system. 

THE    FOLLOWING    CATALOGUES    MAILED    ON    REQUEST:— 


(1)  Large    illustrated    catalogue    of    school    supplies. 

(2)  Catalogue    describing    "Hero    Ventilating    Room    Heaters." 

(3)  Calalogue    describing    "Parkyle"    Sanitary    Closels. 


CORRESPONDENCE  INVITED 


THE  ALBERTA  SCHOOL  SUPPLY  COMPANY 

The  House  of  Quality  ' ' 


EDMONTON 


ALBERTA 


SEED  OF  ALL  KINDS 


WHOLESALE  AND  RETAIL 

We  are  growers.  Our  farm  at  St.  Albert  is  evidence  ol  lln: 
fact.  We  "test  hundreds  of  varieties  of  gram,  selecting  only 
those  which  are  most  suitable  for  Alberta. 

We  have  our  own  greenhouses  and  testing  grounds  in  Fct- 
mcnton.  \X'e  lest  all  seed  for  germination  before  placing  i! 
on  the  market. 

Ornamenlal    and    Fruit    Trees.       Strawberry,    Raspberry    and     j 
Gooseberry    Planls.      Currants   both    red   and   while,   have   proven 
a    success. 

Poultry  Supplies  of  all  kinds:  Incubators,  Brooders.  Drinking 
and  Food  1'  ounls. 

Drills,    Garden    Cultivation. 


DON'T     KAIL     TO     GET     OUR     1915     SEED     AND 
NURSERY   CATALOGUE, 


J.  J.  MURRAY 


Phone 


753   to   157  Queens  Ave.  Special  Attention  Given  to  Pet 

House  Phone  3932       Stock  Foods  and  Medicines 


Our  New  and  Enlarged  Music  Store 

Is  the  Finest  in  Western  Canada 


an  j  oui  slock  of  PIANOS,  Musical  Merchandise,  and  SI  IF  FT 
MUSK',  the  pick  of  the  world. 

OUR    STRICTLY    ONF    PRICF    METHOD    OK    DOING 

BUSINFSS  enables  out  of  town  cuslcmers  io  deal  with  us  by  mail, 
w!ih  every  assurance  that  their  interest  will  be  guarded  the  same  as 
lhou<  li  they  made  a  personal  selection. 

OVER      ONF      HUNDRED      PERSONALLY      SELECTED 
PIANOS  TO  CHOOSE   EROM. 

Buying    a    piano    here    is    a    pleasure.      Very    easy    lenm    of    payment 
arranged   when    desired,    and    every    curlcsy    extended    to   our    customers. 


THE  MASTERS  PIANO  CO. 

423-425  Jasper  Ave.  We.t  EDMONTON,  ALTA. 

Home  of  the  New  Art  {Bell,  the  Piano  with  the  Sweet  Tone. 


I1 


E.CB     „  , 

I^ID     EGGS  ^ 


E.  C.  D.  Dairy  Products 

The  Choice  of  the  People 

Butter,    Velvet  Ice  Cream,   Guaranteed  Eggs,   Milk,   Cream,  Buttermilk 

E.  C.  D.  Devonshire  Cream,      E.  C.  D.  Cream  Cheese,     E.  C.  D.  Cottage  Chesse 
E.  C.  D.  Pimiento  Cheete,     Buttermilk  Cheese 

Edmonton  City  Dairy,  Limited 

Phone  9291 


When   You  Drink 

YELLOWHEAD  BEER 


Note  the  brilliancy,  the  zest,  the 
pleasing  aroma,  that  are  charac 
teristic  of  this  fine  brew.  They 
all  denote  honesty  in  brewing  and 
quality  in  the  product. 

When  you  simply  order  beer,  you 
leave  the  selection  to  the  whim  of 
another.  Use  your  own  discretion 
and  ask  for 

YELLOWHEAD 


MADE  IN  EDMOVTOK  BY 

The 

EDMONTON  BREWING  &  MALTING  CO.  Ltd. 


CANADIAN    PACIFIC    RAILWAY    BUILDING 
Edmonton,    Alberta. 


i  sketches  of  the  f, 


authui  :Leydl,  Em  lit   Jo^e 


'"em  id :31 761 0199860,% 


clue;  28/1 1/2005 


8X  1422  .A34  S43  1914 
SMC 


Short  sketches  of  the 

history  of  the  Catholic 
AKE-3146  (mcsk)